Grissom's Mistake
by 143csi4ever
Summary: Grissom encourages Sara to stay with Catherine for the weekend. CS pairing: Don't like don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**GRISSOM'S MISTAKE**

**disclaimer: I promise I will never own CBS or CSI: VEGAS. This is on an idea and on a bet.**

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I'm pacing inside Grissom's office. My hands safely secured inside my back pocket. I've been in here for more that fifteen minutes. And the conversation is not getting anywhere. 

"I know, Sara. But I do think it's better if you stay with Catherine while they're repairing your apartment. It would be...uh, complicated if they find out you're staying with me." Grissom rubs his temples as he sits behind his desk. The thought of us seeing each other is still being kept a secret- which is an agreement on both of our parts.

"Gil, I can't stay with her. You know that. We can't stand each other!" Even just the thought of it makes me nervous. Me and Catherine in one room. Butting heads, arguing...it will not be a pretty sight.

"Sara, I really don't understand why after six years, you two still can't get along."

Neither can I. "Uh, well... I don't know either. It's just...I can't stay with her. I'll stay in a hotel. Period."

"We all know how you feel about hotels, how paraniod you get and how you have to strip and change everything. And you don't even sleep!" Okay, I hate hotels. I have processed hundreds of hotels over the years and still with the same results, what scary things you find under the sheets with ultra violet rays. It doesn't matter if it was just cleaned. You _always_ find something on the bed, walls, bathroom sink, furniture. Staying in a room where a stranger stayed before is unsettling to me.

"Gil, with Catherine, I can't..."

"Why?" He leans back on his chair, closes his eyes. I know he's getting tired of my whining.

"I just...well, can't." Hell, I don't know why. I don't understand why we can't get along after all these years of working together. Even if we already know what makes each other tick, we just keep on pressing each other's buttons.

"Then you tell her yourself. She's waiting for you in her office."

I took a step back. "She what?"

"In her office, Sara. You tell her." He opens his eyes and flashes a smug look, like he's trying to hide a smile. I bet he's enjoying this torture.

"Gil...!"

"Sara..."

"Damn!" I turn around and storm out of his office. But I caught that little smile that was forming at the corner of his mouth. Somehow I'll get even.

* * *

"Catherine?" I knock lightly on her door, hoping she won't hear. So I can pretend that I tried talking to her. It'll give me a good excuse to tell Grissom and to find another alternative than Catherine and hotels. 

"Sara, come in. Have a seat. I'm just finishing this report."

I slowly push her door open, make my way in and sit in front of her. "About tonight..."

"You can use Lindsey's room. I made arangements for her to stay with my sister for the weekend." She doesn't look up from her writing.

Now I'm surprised. "You...already made arangements?"

She puts her pen down and looks up slowly, her eyes meet mine. "Yeah, no biggie. She usually stays there when I'm working late. And you know weekends are always busy here."

"You sure it won't be a problem?" Now why am I considering this? Because of guilt if I don't? Or because of the thought that it'll be just the two of us, and no one else all weekend in her house? Wait a minute...what the hell am I thinking?

She folds her fingers infront of her and smiles. "I know how you feel about staying in hotels. So I suggested to Grissom that you stay with me. That is... if you want to. I know we don't get along that well but still, I consider you as a friend. and I'd like to help out."

"Huh? It was your idea? Catherine, I don't know what to say. Really... I...I'm thankful." Good lord, why in heaven's name would she suggest that to Grissom? Better yet: consider me as a friend? I always felt a little rivalry between us. Hell, now I'm confused!

"So it's settled. I'll see you at my place after work then." We both stand up. She picks up her report and we head out of her office.

We walk quietly through the noisy hallway. Again, my hands safely secured behind my back pocket.

"Well, better get this to Ecklie before he blows a top." She holds up the report she was carrying.

I stopped walking. "Thanks again, Catherine." I don't know why I squeezed her arm lightly before she turned to the other hallway. But whatever that small gesture did, I earned a hugh, beautiful smile from her before she continued her walk. Made me have this feeling of butterflies in my stomach.

So I stood there watching her walk away. And it seemed like everyone around her slowly dissapeared.

For a moment it really felt good.

And that smile...

Wait a minute, I'm not suppose to feel that way!

Something isn't right...

**

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reviews are so welcomed...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Thanks for all your reviews!**

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Why am I standing here in the middle of the hallway watching Catherine slowly walk away? Damn, I can't even take my eyes off her! Is it because of the way how she walks? How come I never noticed the sway in her hips? Why oh why, for reasons unknown to me am I suddenly being mesmerized? Hell... 

"Whatcha looking at, Sara?" I find Greg standing next to me holding a fistfull of tubes in his hands. He's looking at the same direction as I am.

"Huh? Oh, nothing, Greg." Good thing she turned the other corner just in time. So we're looking at a swarm of busy people coming in and out of glass cubicles.

"Heard from the grapevine you're staying with Catherine this weekend. True? And if it is," he steps in front of me and with a shocked look, "why, Sara? Are you out of your mind?"

I pushed him to the side and started walking back to the lab, he catches up with me. "It probably isn't going to be that bad," I reasoned out. "I mean it's just Catherine not an ax murderer, Greg."

"Really? Boy, you got guts to spend the weekend with her. You know they call her 'Wild Cat', right?"

I don't say anything. If he's trying to scare me, I already am. I just want this shift to be done so I can drive to her place, get my overnight bag, get settled and sleep. That is, so far, is my plan.

"Well," Greg continues, " aside from having her way, the way she normally does here at work, I heard..." he leans over and whispers something in my ear.

"Stop whispering, Greg! We're not in second grade."

"I said she's wild in bed, too!" Now, that was loud enough because all the people in the hallway stopped and looked at us. It was a moment where you can hear a pin drop. It was a moment where I felt the blood rush up my head. It was a moment I could'nt feel my lower limbs. It was a moment where I wanted to reach out and snap Greg's neck in two.

"Whose wild in bed?"

Both of us turn around and come face to face with Catherine Willows. Suddenly the people around us started moving, then I realized: they were moving _away_ from us. Now I really can't feel anything! It's like I'm having an out of body experience and I'm hovering on top watching in slow motion of the events that just have happened.

Greg's jaw is hanging open. I could easily fit all the test tubes he's holding in there. If I could feel my hands I would really jam them in that big ole pie hole mouth of his!

In a couple of seconds the hallway was empty, except for the faces of people trying too peer through the glass cubicles. They know Catherine is not a person to mess with.

Catherine looks at him with an arched eyebrow waiting for an answer.

Then she looks at me and smiles. "Greg entertaining you with his escapades again?"

I let out the air I was holding in. "Yeah, Greg, well, you know...couldn't, didn't...you know..." My head cocked to a side and my eyes focus on Greg's middle part.

Catherine followed my eyes. "Ohhhh... I see. Nothing to be embarrassed about, Greg. Don't worry, even happpens to the best. Self control, Greggo." She points to his midsection. I try to hold back my smile. Catherine pats him on the shoulder as she continues her walk.

And poor Greg. He clamps his mouth shut and opens it again. Not a sound escapes him. He looks at the cubicles, his eyes are wide with horror looking at the expressions of the people covering their mouth looking at him in shock and amusement.

I'm grinning ear to ear. "Sorry, Greggo." I kiss him on the cheek and hurry to catch up with Catherine. Somehow I feel that the weekend is going to turn out okay.

"Hey, Catherine!" She turns around and waits, puts one hand on her hip and I see the cutest grin flashing back at me.

God, she's stunning! I am so glad I'll be with her this weekend.

Oh, lord. I just did not say that. Please, I did not just say that!

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**comments, suggestions, expressions, revolutions...reviews appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**misspellings, grammar errors are mine. burning the midnight oil can make me see double. **

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I'm practically bouncing walking towards her! 

"So what are you thinking?"

"Excuse me?" I stop infront of her.

"You have that," she pauses and her hand goes in a circular motion in front my face, "that silly look. Like you just had an, hmmm...an awakening or something."

"I...I...uhhh..." I certainly can't tell her the rush I'm feeling right now by just standing infront of her! _Oh, god..._

"Cat got your tongue, Sara?" Now that's ironic. I wonder how it would feel if she did...

_Oh, crap, what the hell am I thinking?_

"Sara? Are you okay?" She rests her hand on my shoulder and looks at me with concern.

"I'm...I'm fine, Catherine. It's been a long night." I bet she didn't buy that lie.

She creases her eyebrows, watching me. Her hand still on my shoulder. God, it feels lovely. Hell, what am I feeling this for?

"You sure, Sara?"

"Totally fine." I grin a like a tenth grader meeting her first crush. _Crush?_ Did I say that? Awww, hell...

"Okay, shift ends in three hours. I'm going back to the office and finish up my paper work. I'll meet you at home then?"

"Yeah, I'll meet you there, Catherine." I smile back at her.

"Good."

But then something odd happened. Or maybe I'm putting too much thought into this. Her hand slowly ran down from my shoulder to my arm and squeezes it before she lets go and walk away. God, the electricity that I felt throughout my body!

Good gravy, what in the world am I feeling?

Am I attracted to...?

* * *

"Sara? Sara..." I felt someone tap my shoulder. 

I turn around. "Huh? Oh, crap. Hey, Gil." Where the hell did he come from?

"Why are you standing in the middle of the hallway? Come on, I'll walk you back to the lab."

We walk back quietly. He looks at me. "Are you alright? You look pale, Sara."

"Hell, no. It's... It's been a long night, Gris. I just want this shift to be over."

"So," he looks at me square in the eye, "what's up with you and Catherine?" Oh, lord...

"Why? What did you hear? Did you see Greg? He has a big mouth. Did Catherine say something? Who said what now?" Hope he doesn't notice the panic in my voice.

He creases his brow. "I was just asking if you'll be with Catherine tonight."

I smile at the thought. Me with Catherine, and all the things we can do...

Damn it! Get back to reality, woman! I'm having a relationship with this guy next to me! He's nice, he's okay, he's Grissom, he's secure, he's not Catherine, he's...not...her. _What the hell am I feeling? _

"Gris, I don't think..."

"Sara, I know you won't sleep in a hotel. I certainly wont agree you bunking in with one of the boys."

"Maybe I could just sleep in your office. I mean I do overtime a lot." Better be safe now than sorry.

"Sara..."

"I mean I practically live here anyway."

"Did you talk with Catherine?"

"I...I did. "

"And?"

"I said 'yes', Gris, but..."

"Sara, I know Catherine. There's no other place I'd feel comfortable and at peace but if you stay with her."

If you only knew what I've been going through for the past hour!

"Gris, I'm not..."

"Sara honey, trust me, you'll be safe with Catherine."

I know.

But will she be safe with me?

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**Reviews will really keep me happy!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer all in chap 1. Thank you for all your reviews!**

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"Are you sure about this?" 

Grissom looks at me with all seriousness. "Absolutely. I insist."

He's got to be joking. If he only knew...

If ever, I don't want to be blamed in the long run.

"Well, if you insist. Okay then. But remember I tried to get out of it."

He folds his arms and raises an eyebrow. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Ummm. If anything happens to me it's your head."

"Sara, trust me. You're in good hands with Catherine."

"Just had to be sure, Gris." I know _she_ will be in good hands if the oppurtunity ever arose.

_And why the hell am I considering this?_

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Greg is hunched infront of a microscope. I push the door of the lab open. He looks up and back to the microscope. 

"Greg? I'm sorry."

Nothing. I know he's trying to ignore me. I take a step closer.

"Greg, come on. I'm sorry."

"You're a figment of my imagination. Therefore you're not here."

"Come on, Greg. I had to think of something to say."

"There's a buzzing noise in the room. Go away, noise."

"She's the one who asked if you're up to your tricks again not me."

"It was escapades. And you could've said 'no'. Now my reputation is ruined."

"Greg, everyone knows you're 'da man'. And it's Catherine where talking about. Hell, most likely even the best can't get it on with Catherine because they're so freaking intimidated by her."

"You think so?"

"With her, yes, it's a big possibility."

"So you agree with me she's..."

I start rambling off. "She's scary, intimidating, irritating, obsessive, so damn hot and sexy, obnoxious, hateful, spiteful, arrogant, always has to be right, blunt, will degrade you infront of ..."

Greg looks up with a mischievious grin.

"Why are you smiling like that, Greg?" I'm very suspicious now.

"Nothing." His evil grin still intact.

"Greg? What is it?" I take another step closer.

"Nothin', honey." Damn. He knows something. I look around the lab.

"Am I being recorded, like what you did to Nick and his snoring?"

"Noooo. But I wish I did." He stands straight up.

"Gregory Sanders. Spill it out or I will use the intercome and blab to everyone what hapened a month ago."

"You promised you wouldn't tell and if you do that I will do the same." His smile is wider now. Any more it would cut his face in two.

"Do what?" I'm begining to hate him now.

"That you also have it for Catherine."

"What?" I could feel the rush of blood creeping up my body.

"Oh, yeah. I will have excellent dreams of this now."

My knuckles are white from gripping the side of the table. "What are you talking about, Gregory?"

He takes a step closer and whispers, "you said Catherine was so damn hot and sexy."

"I did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"You did, too. You want to hear it again?"

I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. I'm not a black belt for nothing.

"AWW!!! Sara!!! You're hurting me!!! Leggo!!!"

"Am I being recorded?"

"Awww!!! NO!!! Leggo!!!"

I whisper in his ear. "Did I say that?"

"My arm!!! YES, YOU DID!!! My arm!!!"

"What did I say exactly?"

"YOU SAID SHE WAS SO DAMN HOT AND SEXY! LEGGO MY ARM!!!"

Warrick walks in. "Ah, foreplay. What am I missing? You two want to be alone or should I call Nick and we start selling tickets? I vote Sara anyway."

I let go. He backs up and rubs his shoulder. "Hell, Sara, what's gotten into you?"

"I didn't say that. Did I? Really?"

Warrick steps up. "Sara said what now?"

"You did say it, Sara." Greg continues to rub his shoulder. "Imagine YOU having sex with..."

"GREG!!"

"What am I missing? What did Sara say? Sara's having sex with who now?" Warrick looks at Greg then at me.

"Warrick, you're like an old wife gossiper." I rolled my eyes up at him.

Warrick clasps his hands together and begs. "Sara, this is something hot. Come on, what's up? Let me in."

Greg massaging his arm, murmurs from the corner. "You're certainly not the one she want to let in."

I shot him an evil look, "Greg!"

"You're safe." Greg looks at me and winks. He moves both arms in a circular motion. "Ahhh.. that feels better now."

"How about if I twist your arm, too?" Warrick raises an eyebrow at Greg.

"Kinky, man. But I'm not into that."

"Ewww, man!" Warrick taks a step back.

I look at Greg and he smiles at me assuringly. I know I'm safe. Greg may be a lot of things but he's a good friend.

Warick raises both arms in the air. "Okay, I know when I'm beat. You still in for the batting cages after work, Greg?"

"Yeah, Nick said he's coming, too."

"Cool. Meet you after shift. See you later, Sara." He smiles and heads towards the glass door.

"Oh, Sara," Warricks turns around, "beware of the cat whose on the prowl tonight!" He closes the glass door laughing.

Great. I'm in deep trouble. Why did I agree? Is she really that terrible that everyone now thinks I'll be dead by morning?

I sit on the nearest stool.

Greg pulls another stool sits next to me. "Aside from beautiful and attractive, Catherine really is hot and sexy, you know."

I don't look up. I don't say anything.

"That's why you agreed, huh. You want to know. Technically speaking? The 'Wild Cat' will kill you first. But you've got a degree in black belt so it'll be a toss. Man, I'd love to see that." He smiles at me and I could'nt help but smile back.

" You got a thing for her. Does Grissom know?" Okay, he's the only person who know about me and Grissom.

"Greg..."

He picks up my hand. "You have to tell him, you know."

"It's probably just a crush. It'll go away. No one has to know."

We sit there quietly for a couple of seconds more. Then he asks, "but if it isn't?"

"Still. No one should know."

"No one should know what?"

Greg lets go of my hand and both of us snap our necks 180 degrees around to the voice by the doorway.

Damn it. How much trouble can I get into in one night?

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**Guess... a little cliffie. Reviews would be cool...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**I know it's short. Gotta finish up my report for class. But thank you for all your reviews!**

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"So?" 

Our mouths hanging open and not a sigh, peep or sound comes out. Obviously we're still in shock.

I don't even think I'm breathing.

"Greg, when reality hits you anytime soon, like right now, I need those printed results."

Greg stammers, "I...I...I..." Now the cat got _his_ tongue.

I shove him off the stool. He falls on all fours but springs back up in a jiffy. He shoots me an evil look.

"Right. The results got it right here." He shuffles a couple of papers on the table and hands it to Catherine.

She looks at him amused, then she looks at me. "Don't worry, no one should know about you two." She whispers, "secrets safe with me."

I stand up like a toothpick in protest. It was Greg who spoke first. Actually rambled on and on.

"No, no, no, no, no. You got it wrong, Catherine. Sara and I are not related. I mean are not in a relationship, relationship like that. Not the boy-girl thing. Although I am a male and she's a female. We only have a friendly relationship. I hold her hand because it's soft and it helps her calm down, I think. I have a girlfriend, you see. Her name is Alessandra and she's Australian, from Australia. Down under. I met her three months ago at a party. She nice, really sweet. And I love the way she speaks. And she can talk forever. Kangaroos and all. Sometimes I don't understand her but I just like watching her lips move. Me and Sara, we're friends. That's it, just friends. Besides I'm not her type even when I tried before but I'm not her type. Sara likes, she likes, she likes,...oh, god, make me stop." Hell, he did'nt even breathe through that whole minute garble!

I slap his back before he can say more. "Shut up, Greg." Now I know why guys confess immediately to Catherine. They're just plain doomed.

Catherine raises an eyebrow. I can feel myself turn inside out just looking at her. _Damn it, what is she doing do me?_

"Well, this will ba a nice conversational piece later then, Sara. Quite curious whose your type now." She smiles at me mischieviously.

And I stand there with my jaw hanging open. She takes a step closer._ Oh, god give me strength..._

She whispers near my ear. "I guess cat got your tongue, too." If you only knew...

I turn my head slightly, "Catherine..." I whisper. I can smell her faint perfume. The sweet smelling conditioner she uses. Any closer I probably can tell her brand of soap. That is if I don't drop dead first.

And she stands there so close, not moving from my side for seconds, which seem forever.

Ah, lord, the goose bumps I'm having right now...

Then she takes a step back.

Her smug grin still there, "See you tonight, Sara." Then she heads for the door.

Without looking back, she holds up the reports. "Thanks, Greg."

And she was gone.

I stand there breathing heavily for a few seconds. Trying to get hold of myself. I find my hands are trembling as I reach out the table for support.

"Greg... Greg. Greg? Hey, Greg!" And he just stands there like he's seen a ghost. Pale as the chipped paint on the wall.

"That...was...so...hot...Sara." He comes closer and stands in front of me.

He looks at me and then he hugs me. "Oh, poor baby. You are _so_ dead tonight."

Oh great, this is just perfect.

I

am

doomed...

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**reviews?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Again, thank you for the reviews...**

**Was never in a spelling bee contest, so any misspellings are all on me.**

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"You think you want to write a last will and testament? And can I have your CD collection?" 

"Shut up, Greg. You're no help at all."

"You really want to go through this?"

"I said 'yes' to her. I can't back out now, man. Do or die, I guess."

"You know, the latter one is really appealing now, huh."

"Again: shut up Greg. You're no help at all."

"If you're alive by morning, will you tell me about it? You know it will be legendary if you survive a night at Catherine's."

I look at Greg. "I'ts not a haunted house, Greg. It's just Catherine. We all know her. We've been to her house and all. She doesn't have an iron maiden hidden in the closet, you know."

"You don't know? I heard from somebody who knows somebody who heard from a guy who has been to Catherine's and he said that he saw her wearing a black lacy top complete with very short skin tight leather skirt and with those black holey stockings, wearing high heels so high her feet barely touches the ground."

I close my eyes in total disbelief. "Fishnet stockings."

"Whatever. Not only that: she had a whip in her hand. They don't call her 'Wild Cat' for nothing." His eyes lit up completing his picture of her. "And," he adds, "have you seen how fast she can slap hand cuffs on a perp? She really knows how to use those. I heard from a reliable source she owns gold colored cuffs." He winks at me.

"Yeah, right, Greg. I didn't realize that you are also such a gossiper."

He looked around the lab and whispered. "I also heard that her victim in now in the loony bin."

"A what?"

"Mental institution. He could'nt take it. Catherine broke him down." He sighs, "man, I wish I were him. Lucky dude. He got to see the wild side of life before he went bye-bye." Greg made circular motions with his finger near his ear.

I sigh out loud. "Greg, you are so full of it. Nice try though."

"It didn't work?"

"Nope. It didn't work. Not scared at all."

"Damn! I so wanted your CD collection."

* * *

I walk out his lab and head to the other lab where I need to finish up my report. I sit down, exhausted. 

_Coffee, I need coffee._ I get up and walk the noisy hallway to the break room, I look at my watch and I have two hours left before I say bye-bye to this world, have a nervous break down and be in the looney bin by morning.

I open the door to the break room. _Good, it's empty. I'll have time to finish my report_.

I pour myself a cup coffee while I smile and laugh at myself. Imagine, Greg trying to scare me. Ha! I should've know.

I sit down and make myself comfortable. _Okay, finish up the report, Sara._

It wasn't fifteen minutes when Nick and Warrick walk in. _Great..._

Nick pours himself a cup. "Sara, you really staying over at Catherine's?"

"Yeah. No big deal." I continue to write. If I look busy they might leave me alone. I'm getting tired of all this teasing. I means it's just Catherine. And me. In her house. Alone. Alone. Alone with Catherine. _Oh man... what did I get myself into?_

Warrick makes himself comfortable on the sofa. "You know about the 'Wild Cat' then?"

I look up, "what?" This is getting sillier by the minute.

"Her cuffs with the whip and all, the guy ended up totally insane." Warrick says it like it was a normal thing for Catherine.

"You're joking." I'm massaging my forehead. They got to be joking. From Greg, information is already bent. But from Warrick?

Warrick flips through a year old forensic magazine. "Totally true."

So there is truth in some urban ledgends after all!

Nick throws a hand full of sugar packets Warrick's way. "Don't believe him, Sara. He met up with Greg coming here."

"Liar!" I throw my pen at Warrick. He's laughing uncontrollably. I join in. Boy, I sure needed a break from all this craziness.

We laugh for a few seconds more then I noticed they both became quiet.

Too quiet.

Then Nick sits next to me. Warrick gets up and sits infront.

I look at both of them. "Okay, guys, you two are scaring me now."

Warrick looks at Nick, "you tell, dude."

"Nick?" My voice is barely above a whisper.

"It's really nothing, Sara."

"Nick, you're scaring me."

He leans foreward and holds my hand, "they guys in the lab..." He pauses.

"Just get it over, Nick. I'm dead either way."

He takes a deep breath. "The guys in the lab are doing a poll."

I look at him wide eyed. "A what?"

Warrick finishes up the kill. "A poll. If you're going tonight. If you'll stay a night or make it through the weekend alive, sane and intact."

"They're...they're betting? On me?" I look at both of them surprised.

Warrick folds his muscular arms in all seriousness. "Yeah, I'm trying to see who started this." Thank god, Warrick to the rescue.

Warrick stands up, Nick follows. "Well, gotta finish up coz were hitting the batting cages again. We just wanted you to know, Sara."

"Thanks, guys."

Nick bends down and gives me a quick hug.

"Don't worry, Sara. We have faith in you." He flashes a big Texan smile. "War and I both put in that you'll last the weekend." He kisses the top of my head.

My jaw drops open at what I just heard.

Warrick pats me in the head, "But we will find out who started this." He lets out a huge smile.

Nick's head pops back in the doorway. "Don't let us down. The odds are on us. Be strong, Sara! We believe in you!"

Then I heard both of them chanting down the hallway. "Sara! Sara! Sara! Sara! Sara!"

Great. I'm working with jokers. This is utterly ridiculous now!

I'm not even there yet!

How much more can I take?

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**reviews really would be cool...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**thank you so much for your reviews!**

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Thank goodness for a slow night. At least I got my report done. 

Might as well drop this in Grissom's office and avoid the maddening world. This is way too much. It really makes me wonder what they think of Catherine. Is her reputation that bad and scary outside these walls? But what do I think of her? We may have our differences, butt head from time to time. She really can be irritating, mostly getting her way, but that's Catherine. And I'm used to it. It's part of work. It's a part of her. And I always expect that from her. She's really good in what she does. Very passionate, precise, dedicated. She double checks and make sure everything is in order. And I admire that in her, although I dare not say that to her face. That's a big no-no.

Wow... Catherine Willows, an enigma in her own right.

And I know it's unconventional, but she will use her sexuality as a last measure to get a perp to confess. And they always do. Hell, I'd confess anything if she'd stand close to me!

Drop dead sexy. She can wear anything. From jeans, skirts, suits, tight outfits, miniskirts, low cut blouses, tight black leather skirt, fishnet stockings...oh, god. The images that comes to my mind. I really, really, honest to goodness need to drop this off Grissom's office. Anything to take my mind off her!

Grissom's office. Damn it! I totally forgot about him! This is all his fault. I blame him for making me realize my attraction towards Catherine.

Oh, god... _Am I attracted to Catherine?_

Damn it!

* * *

Might as well head off to his office. Hmmm, forty five minutes before I clock out. God, I'm tired. 

What's happening? I'm not that popular. Why are people glancing up from their work and looking at me? I'm getting more pats in the back than usual just walking the hallway. Did he just say 'good luck, Sara'?

I see. They're all betting on me. This is just great. The whole lab is betting how long I'll last...

Ahhh. Few more meters I'll be safe in Grissom's office.

_Perfect_. Now I'm hearing someone hum the taps.

I'm on a death march now.

* * *

_Knock. knock._ "Gris? You in here? Helloooo..." 

Empty.

Fine. Might as well hide in here before I see more clowns.

* * *

Darn it! It's time to go. I need to clock out. Hell, maybe if I wait awhile I won't see anyone I know. Might as well get comfortable. Ahhh...this is better. 

"Sara?"

Shit!

"Hey! Gris! You back? Where were you? Had a case or something? I've been waiting for you. Here. In your office, waiting. Just waiting and all." Can he see through that big fat lie?

"I had a meeting with Ecklie. You seem...tense."

"No, no, no. I'm okay. I'm actually fine. Never been better. Why? Do I look tensed? I don't think so. Why do you say I'm tensed? I must be tired or something."

"Sara..."

"I'm thinking of staying for awhile. I need to recheck my report. Maybe have it typed. You need me for something?"

"Sara..."

"Anything?"

"Sara..."

"I can do..."

"Go."

"Can't I stay?"

"Go. Now, Sara."

"Please?"

"Sara, it's just Catherine. You're listening to too much gossip and rumors."

"For arguments sake, what if it's true?"

"What is true?"

"Cuffs and all."

He smiles mischieviously. "I have cuffs at home, you never make a big deal out of it."

"Shut up, Gil. I'm going."

* * *

Geez... the drive to Catherine's seemed like forever! 

I've been standing infront of her door way nearing five minutes now. I don't know if I should knock, use the doorbell or walk away. The last one is really appealing now. It's nearing midnight. Maybe she's asleep. I certainly don't want to wake her. Maybe she's taking a shower and won't hear me. Hell, who knows what she doing in there now. Maybe, just maybe she's waiting in the living room with her high heels on, black fishnet stockings, leather tight skirt, with a black lacy top on complete with a whip. Oh, god why am I thinking of this?

The gold hand cuffs...

_Hell! Maybe I can high tail it out of here..._

_

* * *

Ring...ring..._

Damn it! Whose calling me at this ungodly hour? "Sidle."

"Sara? Is that you? Are you outside? Was that your cellphone ringing outside the door?"

Busted! "Uh, yeah. I just got here. Was going to knock. Something.. um, yeah, just... just got here."

"Okay, hold on. Let me open the door for you."

"Thanks."

Oh, god. Here it is the moment of truth. What if she really is wearing...

"Hey, come in, Sara."

Oh, lord. I must be imagining this...

This is not what I expected...

Whoa...!

* * *

**reviews?**

**she's out as promised, jellicos.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Thank you for all the reviews! Spelling mistakes all mine, I don't do too well with a flu.**

**Disclaimer: Still and will never own CSI: Vegas. Well, maybe for an hour just to meet the cast...**

* * *

"Hey, come in, Sara." She smiles as she opens the door. 

I walk in quietly.

This is not real.

Not at all.

* * *

"Make yourself comfortable." She points to the sofa and heads to the kitchen. " I'm making salad. You hungry?" 

"Now I am." I smile as I follow her to the kitchen, still unable to shake off the image of her.

Her hair is ponytailed. Her face is fresh from washing off the make up. She's wearing a large faded grey shirt that says 'Montana Chick' in the front. She's has dark blue boxer shorts revealing her smooth, well toned legs. I can't help but stare at her as she stands barefoot in her kitchen mixing a bowl full of salad. And red nail polish on her cute toes completes the image.

I have never seen her so relaxed. So fresh, so soft. Making her more attractive than ever. Way too beautiful. Way too sexy. Way too cute. I've never seen her as hot as the morning sun. Making me have this warm, fuzzy feeling.

Damn! I can feel all the energy surging through out my body in every direction. It's very unsafe for me to continue to be near her. I just want to grab her, hug her, kiss her!

I can't believe I am so smitten by the simpleness of ...

"Sara? Hellooo, earth to Sara..."

I am so retarded!

She's standing infront of me handing me a bowl of salad and here I am with my mouth open standing like a totem pole unable to move or make a sound. I can't even move my hand to take the bowl from her! And that sexy smirk on her face...

"You okay, honey?" She raises an eyebrow and rubs my arm.

God, please make my heart slow down. My fingers are really itching right now...

Catherine shakes her head and smiles. "Come on, Sara." She takes my hand in hers and leads me to the living room and makes me sit on the sofa. She places the bowl on my lap. She sits besides me and turns on the TV.

"Do I need to spoon you, too?" She turns to me and smiles mischieviously, "because I really won't mind."

Oh, lord. "I...I... Cath... I'm fine." I pick up my fork and stab a lettuce and pop it in my mouth. "This is good." I say in between munching.

"Thank you." She continues to smile at me. "So, Sara. What did you expect?"

I swallow hard. "Excuse me?"

"When you came in. What were you expecting?" She leans back getting comfortable, picks up the remote and changes the channel. Our shoulders are almost touching. I don't know if she can feel how hot I'm getting. I hope I'm not sweating. I perspire alot when I'm nervous. Hmm, does her skin have a glossy shine after making love? Damn it! Get with the program, Sara! Concentrate!

I forgot what she asked me! I jab another forkful of salad in my mouth. "Whazzatagain?"

"What were you expecting when you came in?"

"I...I..." I don't know what to say.

"It's okay. People only know me for what I am from work. They assume I'm the same outside, too." She picks up a carrot and pops it in her mouth.

We were quiet for a moment, except for the crunching of lettuce and carrots in our mouths.

"I didn't expect this." I turn to her. "You're so relaxed."

She smiles, "I'm at home. No paper work. No Ecklie. No lab coats. No stress."

Makes sense.

"You're... you seem more...uh..."

She finishes my thought. "Nicer?" I nod like an idiot.

She sighs. "Waiting tables couldn't pay rent and couldn't put me through college so I became an exotic dancer who went to school during the day dreaming of making a better future. Eventually I became a lab rat for many years crawling my way up. People didn't take me seriously because of my history. I studied hard, took all the tests, completed all the requirements to become a CSI. I had to earn the respect of my peers, and it was not easy. It still isn't. Being nice really wasn't that effective for me. So I always put up a tough front when I'm at work. People get intimidated. I'd rather have them see me as Catherine Willows, scary CSI. Things get done faster."

I let out a small laugh. "You'd never believe the stories that go around."

"Which one? Tight leather skirt with a whip?"

I cough hard that my eyes started to water. "Excuse me?"

She laughs out loud. "It was for a costume party a few years ago. I think the story got out of hand ending with me putting a guy in jail."

"Mental institution."

"Ahhh." She smirks. "So you've heard."

I sat there like a jerk. What else can I say? I feel terrible for letting myself listen and be pushed into their so called fantasy of what Catherine is.

"So," she gets up and picks up our empty bowls, she says something as she heads to the kitchen and places them in the sink.

"Could you say that again, Catherine?"

"I said, 'what is your type?" She comes back and hands me a glass of wine and sits down beside me, leans back and places her legs on the coffee table. God, she has cute toe nails!

I stopped breathing. "My type?"

"Yeah, whose your type? Obviously, not Greg. I'm curious, are you seeing anyone? I mean I really don't know anything about you."

I close my eyes.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you're uncomfortable."

I thought of Grissom. "I'm...I am seeing someone at the moment." Damn it.

"Oh." Did she sound dissapointed?

"But I don't know. Nothing serious." Although Grissom and I have been seeing each other for more than seven month now. I really don't know what we're called.

"Ahhh." Her eyes light up. "Anyone from work?" _Damn. I wish we wouldn't go there._

"Not really. Maybe. Kind of. Nothing serious. Just dates here and there. I don't know. We don't go out that often. We're not, actually we're sort of a secret. I don't know why. Maybe to avoid conflict at work, who know. We're both boring as hell. I need to... uh, move on, I guess. Something. I don't know what we are, what we can be called. I don't know if it's really a future or whatever. But I wish... I wish... hell, I don't know." Aside from the confessional rambling, I sound pitiful, for heaven's sake!

"You wish what?" She takes a sip of her drink. Then licks her lower lip. _God, she looks so fresh and beautiful. One kiss, one kiss. Is that too much to wish for?_

Damn it! I really got to stop staring at her. It's getting way too obvious!

"I wish I ..." Hell, I'm wishing for alot of things right now. Starting with this beautiful woman beside me that is making me feel so giddy!

"...you were with someone else?" Again she finishes my thoughts.

"Yes." _Wish I was with you. Which is drop dead impossible._

"Like..."

I look into my glass. "Like I can't tell you."

"Sara, you're blushing! Someone I know then. Couldn't be Warrick, he's married. Greg, definitely a no. Nick, you treat him as a brother, I will kill you if ever you think of Hodges." I gave out a nervous laugh, which sounded really fake.

"That leaves Grissom. You..." Her eyes widen. "You want to be with Gil?"

I open my mouth but again nothing.

"Wow!" She takes of her ponytail and runs her hand through her silky, soft hair. And here I am again left mesmerized by her beauty.

Oh, lord. She catches me staring at her. Again.

She looks at me in the eye. "Wait a minute. You_ are_ with Grissom."

I say nothing. I can't seem to look away. Our eyes are locked. _Look away, Sara. Look away!_

"Hmmm. Curious." Her eyebrow arches up. _Damn it, I so want to kiss her. Would it be a sin if I did right here, right now? Would she cuff me? Take me, torture me, undress me, kiss me, touch me, thrill me, excite me..._

_Make me look away! Please!_

"And you wish..." She pauses and whispers, "you were with someone else." Every word was said slowly.

I still can't look away. My heart is beating so fast. My hands are sweating. My breathing is faster. _Please Catherine, don't go there. Please!_

She taps a finger to her lips. "Hmmmmm. Who else is there? Warrick, Greg, Nicky, Grissom. Hmmm, that only leaves...that...only...leaves..." She stands up, looks at me wide-eyed and takes a step back. "Damn you, Sara. You've got to be joking..."

_Oh, god.

* * *

**teeny tiny cliffie...** _

**reviews?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Thank you again for all your reviews. **

**still the same disclaimer as in the 1st chap. I do this for entertainment, takes me away to la la land for awhile then back to reality with reports and term papers ... the joys and pitfalls of getting a so called education. **

**misspellings are mine...**

* * *

With a wide eyed expression and with all seriousness, Catherine says, "damn you, Sara. You got to be joking." Her taking a step back is definitely not a good sign. 

I stand up. "Catherine, I..." _Should I tell her now?_

"Sara, I would have never, ever..." Neither would I. Not like this.

"Catherine, hear me out. Please." I take a step closer. _It's now or never._

She smiles. "Sofia, huh."

"What?" Ok_ay, this is not real._

"So it's Sofia. Wow!" She's grinning ear to ear. _This is not what I had in mind at all._

"Uh, Catherine, it's..."

She's lost in her own illusion. "She is attractive, you know. I never thought you'd go for a woman. Let alone a blond. But hey, this is the twenty first century." She pauses and looks at her hands. And almost in a whisper, "she's young and beautiful. Good choice, Sara."

I'm standing infront of her now. "Catherine..."

"Sofia, huh." She looks up at me, It sounds like she's...dissapointed?

And here I am again, lost. The twinkle in her eyes seems fading fast. It almost looks like she's... sad.

Why? Because Sofia's younger than her? Does she feel that her time is fading? Threatened by someone younger? She mustn't think that! She is still as lovely as the first time I've set eyes on her. Actually, lovelier! She shouldn't feel insecure. She shouldn't. Not my Catherine...

God, the feeling I have for her are building up so fast! I have this strong urge of wanting so much to take her in my arms and hold her, comfort her. Tell her what I feel. Keep her forever. Make her mine.

_I need to tell her_. Now. "Cath..."

"Since when?"

"Excuse me?"

"With Sofia."

"I...I..."

"That's okay. Well, I guess...here then." She reaches out and gives me a hug. "Be happy."

At first I do nothing, actually surprised by her gesture. Then I come to my senses and slowly my hands wrap around her. I close my eyes and hold her tight. _Don't let me go, Catherine, please..._

She suddenly breaks away. "Well, I'm getting sleepy. I'll show you where you'll sleep."

And that was that.

* * *

She leads the way upstairs. I follow quietly. I'm lost in thought. Confused as hell. Angry at myself for letting this moment slip by. Why am I such a coward? 

She opens a door. "This is Lindsey's. The sheets are new, I also left a towel on the bed." She points down the hall, "The bathroom is to the left. If you need anything, my bedroom is to the right." Her tone is a little flat, almost emotionless.

I mumble a 'thanks'. _I am such an idiot!_

"Well, okay." She looks at me, "good night then." There seemed to be a change the way she looked at me. Or is it just me?

I watch her walk away. My heart is screaming for her to stop.

_No! I need to get this straight!_

"Catherine!" _What am I doing?_

She turns around. "Yeah?"

_Damn it!_ "Uh, good night." Coward! Coward! Coward!

She nods, "sleep tight, Sara." Then she walks in and closes her door.

* * *

Thirty minutes has passed and still I'm pacing inside Lindsey's room. _This is all too wrong. All wrong._ Catherine, Catherine, Catherine, you're wrong. I'm falling in love with you not Sofia. Was never her. But is all you. Why would she think that? 

Whoa! _I'm falling for Catherine? Loving Catherine...so what if I do? She did say it is the twenty first century!_

_All the tension we have when were together, working on cases, butting heads. Is it because I'm attracted to her? Sexual tension maybe? Maybe that's one of the reasons I love pushing her buttons making her angry because all of those energy and feelings are focused on me. Me alone! How sick is that? I never realized the excitement I feel when she walks in a room, just seeing her there. Or the heat my body feels working side by side with her. How I get goose bumps watching her make a perp confess. Damn, it's sexy how she stares into their eyes, they're always a goner when it comes to Catherine. _

_Whatever she does, whatever move she makes, Catherine breathes in sexiness. _

_Let alone the hunger I feel to be close to her. I'm now realizing of the countless times of my need to see her before the shift starts, by her just being close by comforts me. Even if we end up debating or arguing, I'm realizing that I loved being in the same room as she's in. Just her being there. Or how I'm such in a mood when it's her day off. Good golly, I am attracted to her!_

_Grissom, hell. Why am I with him in the first place? I must of been desperate for attention or something!_

_She has to know. I may be humiliated tonight, worst even, be rejected. But she has to know. She should know that it's not Sofia but her. Always has been her._

Okay, It's now or never. James Bond never had a problem with women before...

Name's Sidle, Sara Sidle. Stirred not shaken.

Damn! The walking to her room seems endless when your nervous!

Here goes nothing...

* * *

_Knock...knock..._

She opens her door. "Sara?"

"Uh, hey. I, uh...ummm...damn it!" Yeah, right. real suave, Sara.

"Are you okay, Sara?" _Hell, no!_

I hold up my toothbrush like a robot. "Toothpaste. I forgot to bring mine. Could I borrow some?" Oh, that's brilliantlly lame.

She smiles at me. "Come in. I guess you didn't want to use Lindsey's bubble gum flavored toothpaste."

I follow her inside. She heads to her bathroom and brings out a tube. I put some on my toothbrush.

I noticed her bed was still untouched. She hasn't turned the covers down. She's not sleepy either?

"Sara, are you okay?"

"Huh? Sorry, yes. I just wanted to tell you that... ummm...to say 'thanks' again, for tonight." Suuuure...real slick, Sara.

"Anytime, Sara. I'm here for you."

"Thanks, Catherine."

I walk out her room and straight into the bathroom. Locked the door behind me. I turn on the faucet and sit on the cold tiled floor. _It hurts like hell to be near her and not say the words. I can't take this anymore!

* * *

_

_This is ridiculous. It's nearing two thirty in the morning and I can't sleep. Maybe if I go down and warm up a glass of milk..._

_Hmmm. Catherine's light is off. Might as well go down as quietly as I can..._

_tip toe... tip toe...through the tulips...quietly through the meadows...tip toe...tip..._

"Can't sleep either, Sara?"

"What the..! Catherine? I didn't see you sitting there. I...I couldn't sleep." Good golly! Good thing I didn't react and kick the living daylights out of her! _Why is she sitting in the dark?_ "I was planning to warm up a glass of milk."

She turns on the side lamp. I squint my eyes to adjust to the light. She's sitting on the sofa, legs tucked under her. Jusy sitting there quietly. Looking adorable. And fragile.

"Yeah, go ahead," she says quietly, " get me a glass, too, if you don't mind. I guess I'm on one of my sleepless nights again."

* * *

I hand her a warm glass of milk and sit beside her. We drink quietly and slowly for a few moments. 

"So when did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That... that you had a thing for her. For Sofia."

"I..it's..I...I..uhh..." Never knew I'm great at stammering!

"Sorry if I'm getting too personal, Sara. We can talk about something else."

"No. It's okay. I'm attracted to..." _YOU!_ " I...I guess my attraction started when I first met..." _YOU!_

She finishes off. "...when you met... Sofia?" It's like it was so hard for her to say her name.

"We get assigned to alot of cases together. You really get to someone when you spend alot of time together. The little odds and ends, the little quirks that make us, _us_. It all becomes a part of you. Part of our lives. To the point, it seems everything feels comfortable. Everything fits. I guess... "

Catherine bends her head down looking into her half empty glass. "Go on, Sara," she says quietly, "tell me."

I turn my head and look directly in her eyes. "I'm finding out now that I just love being next to her. The warmth, the feeling of belongingness. How much... she fills me."

She turns away. "She's lucky then."

"I don't know if I can say that." I place my empty glass on the coffee table infront. "She doesn't know it." I added quietly.

"Tell her."

"And if she laughs and rejects me?"

"Then_ she_ has a problem."

I lean back and smile, finding her response funny.

She looks at me and creases her brows. "What's funny?"

"It's not that easy. And because I wouldn't know how to tell her. It's awkward for me. I've never done this before."

"It's easy. Actually nothing to it."

I face her again. "Excuse me?" Now I'm surprised!

"Just say you're attracted to..Sof..to her. Get it over and done. If she returns the feeling, you're set. If she says 'no' then at least you tried. And now you know where you stand. It'll be weird at first but time passes. And then, time...passes. It is better to know and know where you are than not to know." She takes another drink, "actually it will be her greatest loss to say 'no' to you."

"I gather you've done this before." I look at her with a raised eyebrow.

She looks at me with a mischievious smile, "This is Vegas and I'm not saying or confessing to anything, Sara Sidle."

_Is it possible? Has she had a relationship with another woman before? I may have a shot here!_ "So I just say it and get over it?" I hope she can't tell my voice is a pitch higher now!

"Somewhat like that."

I stand up. "Okay, I will." This is _my_ moment!

She raises both eyebrows in surprise. "You...you will tell Sofi...you're going to tell her?"

"I need to let her know how I feel."

"Oh." Dissapointment in her voice?

_I don't know why I'm slowly getting excited. It could be nothing but... it could be something! This is going to surprise her! Oh, god...my palms are starting to sweat, my heart is beating like a congo drum! Okay, here I go...!_ "Ca..."

But she stands up. "Well, I best turn in now. Long day tomorrow. Good luck with that, Sara."

And she's goes upstairs quickly.

I'm left here in the living room, excited as a swinging monkey, my mouth hanging open ready to tell her everything... and she's gone.

Again.

**

* * *

Reviews will be super cool...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**thanks for all the wonderful feedback.**

**grammar or spellings mess ups are mine.

* * *

**

I need to make this right.

I don't care if it cost me my sanity. I'm already going crazy here, for heaven's sake! The woman whom my heart is aching for is so near but yet so far. And she's just upstairs!

But I need to make this right.

I need to call Grissom. Hell, what am I suppose to say? 'Dude, I'm breaking up with you because I'm inlove with a woman.' or 'Gris, it's not you're fault. You don't hold a candle anywhere near Catherine.' or 'Gris, I don't know what was in my mind when I started seeing you.' or 'It's all your fault pushing me towards her. See what you've done?'

Damn it! How do you break up with a man and tell him you're in love with a woman? Or how do you tell your supervisor that you're in love with another supervisor?

_In love? I'm in love with Catherine?_

Why do I get into these situations?

First things first: I need to make this right. Call Grissom and get over it, then tell Catherine I'm in love with her and get over the humiliation and embarrassment she'll throw my way. By morning I'll send in my transfer to Kansas where they can't find me among the corn fields.

Right, at least I got a plan.

* * *

_Ring...ring...ring..._

"Ummmm... Sara?"

"Hey, sorry to wake you up but I'm in deep trouble."

"You do realize it's past three in the morning..."

"I know, Greg, but..."

"Roosters aren't even up, Sara."

"Greg, what will I do?"

"Are you cuffed to a bed?"

"No."

"Chained inside a closet?"

"No."

"Have you been whipped?"

"No."

"Any body parts cut off?"

"No."

"Catherine still alive?"

"Yes."

"Then hang up and let me sleep, Sara!"

"Greg..."

"Honey, I know I've said it before that I love you to death, and the death part is really appealing now."

"..."

"Okay, I'm awake. Talk to me."

"I'm confused, Greg."

"If you're calling at three in the morning, yes, I'd say you're confused."

"Seriously now. What do I do? It's Catherine I'm in love with."

"You're saying you're in love with Catherine. You really have to sure about this, Sara."

"You're scaring me, Greg."

"I'm just saying..."

"I know. I do have to tell Grissom, don't I? It's Catherine, Greg. It's Catherine."

"Then you know what to do."

"I hate it when you do that, Greg. You make me answer my own questions."

"Ahhh, that's why I'm brillant! You'll be alright, Sara."

"Thanks, Greggo."

"Good night, Sara."

_Click._

* * *

_Ring...ring...ring..._

"Hello?"

"Gris..."

"Sara, are you okay? Everything alright there?"

"I'm fine. It's...there's something...I...hell!"

"Sara, what's the matter?"

"Me! I'm what's the matter, Griss. I don't...damn it!"

"Sara, just say it."

_Hell._ "I'm attracted to someone else. No! No! No!"

"No, no, no?"

"No, no. Wait..." I take a deep breath, "I'm in love with someone else. It's someone else, Gris."

"Sara..."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"May I ask when did you..."

"For weeks now. But I guess I was in denial of what I was feeling."

"Sara..."

"I so sorry, Gil. I don't know what to do anymore."

"I don't know what to say, Sara."

"Say anything, Gil."

"I... I guess it's better to face the truth than to pretend."

"I know. That's why I needed to tell you. I'm so sorry."

"Sara, stop apologizing. We...we had a good time. It was good while it lasted."

_Whatever_. "Ummm. Okay, sure. But... I guess we..."

"Need time to move on?"

_Finally!_ "Yes, yes, yes. Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine, Sara. It's better to be honest with yourself."

"So, uh...see you at work?"

"Yes. I'll see you at work."

"It's not going to be weird or something?"

"Sara, it's okay. We're both adults. I kind of felt that you were distant for awhile now. I tried not to think about it but I somehow deep inside me I expected it would come this but still...I hoped."

_Yada, yada, yada._ "Alright then. I need to go, Gris. Thank you. but I need to...go." _Like now._

"Sara, wait. May I ask...?"

"I have to tell her first."

"_Her_? Sara? Did I hear..."

"Gotta go, bye!"

Click. Well, I warned him I needed to go.

_Good golly! How can he be so civil about it? He throws a fit if one of his imported creepy bugs dies! Or how we all have to stand still till he finds one of his stupid spiders. Imagine how he preserves the minature houses with care. But breaking up? It's like...duh!_

And I can't believe how relieved I am! Why did it last that long in the first place? Hell, I must of been drunk, desperate or something.

* * *

_How do I tell Catherine? I've been standing outside her bedroom door for minutes now. I should knock. _

_No! Let her sleep. _

_No! I'll loose my nerve if I wait till morning. Technically it is morning in some asian countries. _

_Decisions, decisions, decisions...Okay I'll knock. It's now or never. Better to knock than not to knock. Here goes nothing...

* * *

_

"Sara? Aww!" Catherine opens the door as I was about to knock. Well, okay. Let's just say I did knock. On her forehead.

I'ts past three in the morning, and knocking on her head is definitely not a good start to start a conversation.

* * *

She rubs her forehead, her eyes wide with bewilderment. "What the hell, Sara?" 

_Crap. This is not the way to start a possible relationship. Hell, what else could go wrong?_

"Cath...I..." _Damn it!_

"Sara..."

_Do or die!_ "I...I'm sorry for knocking on you but I came to say that you're wrong. Very wrong."

Her eyebrow shoots up. "Excuse me?"

"Sofia. It's not her. It's...it's..." _Oh, god..._

A little smile forms at the corner of her mouth. "Me?"

I look at her and I whisper, "yes."

She leans by the doorway, her eyebrows arch up. "What?"

"I wanted to tell you but you went upstairs and I lost my nerve. I'm sorry."

She looks at me and tilts her head to the side. "And Grissom?"

"I already told him I am in love with someone else."

"You... you're _what_?" This time she raised her voice. I never knew she can reach that high of a pitch.

_Alright, time to panic._ "I'm sorry. I don't know what came upon me that..."

"In love? With _me_, Sara?" She runs her hand through her hair again. "_Really?_" Wow, she really can maintain that high pitch...

"Yes, with you. Definitely with you. I'ts not just an attraction, it's more than that. I know because lately everytime I'm near you I get this funny feeling at the pit of my stomach that makes me feel so good inside that it also makes me have the need to grab you, hug, you and kiss you silly. Is that bad?" _Or was that too much information?_

Her surprised look still hasn't gone away. Actually she hasn't blinked yet._ Oh, this is bad..._

"Sara, I don't know what to say..."

_Oh, lord, I can't feel my legs. I want to disappear, like now!_

I'm starting to sweat. "Sorry, I just...I just needed you to know that you were wrong. It's not Sofia." _I feel like a jerk._ "I... I need to go. Good night, Catherine." I wish this was a stage play where the director can shout 'cut!' and the curtains go down, then we could rehearse again and do it better the second time around.

Humiliated and defeated. So there's nothing much to do right now but to turn around and march to Lindsey's room with legs that are heavier than steel at the moment.

"Sara, wait..." She reaches out and grabs my arm.

I turn around and face her once again. "Don't, Catherine. I'm...it's okay. I just needed you to know that it's not her."

"I don't know what to say but that..."

"It's okay, Catherine. I'm sorry that I dropped this load so suddenly on you."

"What I'm trying to say is..."

"I'm fine, Catherine. It's alright." I don't want to hear her feeling sorry for me.

"Sara, I..." I don't need her pity right now. And I don't want to hear it. That would be too much for me to handle.

"Catherine, it's okay. You don't have..."

She takes a step foreward and both hands go on her hips. "Shut up for a minute, Sidle. Will ya?"

I raise both eyebrows. "Whatever you say."

"For the third time, again, what I'm trying to say is..." She takes another step foreward and whispers, "I'm glad that it's me."

I open my mouth but not even a sound comes out. I'm left totally speechless...

She takes another step foreward and now we're inches apart. She looks up to me with a smile. "I guess it's my turn to say 'sorry for dropping this load on you', too."

* * *

**_reviews/ feedbacks would be awsome..._**

**_i'm over my cold. see? no cliffies._**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**thank you for all your reviews...very much appreciated!**

**p.s: misspellings and grammar errors are mine... english is not my primary language. (that's my excuse)**

* * *

I know I should say something intelligent but my brain is busy lighting off fireworks in every direction. I don't know if she could see the sparks in my eyes! 

She smiles as she pokes my stomach with her finger. "Would you stop grinning like an idiot, Sara, and say something?"

I don't know, but my hands just automatically snaked around her waist and I grab her, hug and kiss her. I know I should've said something first but, hell... I do believe that actions speaks louder than words. And I did warn to her that I wanted to do this.

Okay, I got to admit that that kissing her surprised her. Damn, I even surprised myself! But a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

And then it got easier because I felt her hands slowly make it's way up to my neck, pulling me downward deepening our kiss. Soft and delicate, tasting and savoring eachother's kiss. Yes, kissing Catherine feels like I'm home.

* * *

We break after much needed air. Both of us are breathing deeply. Her hands still in an embrace, my arms wraped securely around her. 

She has that silly smirk on her face, her eyes twinkling like the brightest star.

"Sara, you are such a nut. I can't believe we're doing this."

"I should've done this a long time ago, Catherine. But I guess I've always denied what I felt inside."

"Well, I'm glad that you have also made me realize my feelings for you, too." She runs her fingers through my hair slowly. _Ohhh...that feels mighty nice..._

I'm trying hard to control my raging hormones from sending signals to my other body parts.

I whisper her her, "Catherine, I just need to let you know..."

She puts a finger to my lips silencing me. "Sara, wait. Me first. When I thought it was Sofia, I just felt..." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, a tear rolls down her face.

I wipe her cheek gently with my finger, I've never seen her cry. And I don't want to make her cry. "Catherine, you don't have to ..."

She again places her finger on my lips and whispers, "No, let me finish, Sara. I have to tell you."

I stroke her hair with my fingers. "Alright, Catherine."

She takes a deep breath and slowly began, "when I thought it was her, I felt that everything within me... all hope, dissapeared. I realized how much you really mean to me. How much it really hurt of the thought of you with someone else, whether it be Sofia or Gil or anyone else." Her head drops as she looks to the ground.

I lift her chin up till her eyes met mine. "Catherine, I don't know why it took me so long to realize it was you all along."

"I couldn't sleep, Sara. Just thinking of it, my mind couldn't rest. I kept on pacing inside my room like a deranged person."

I smile. "Deranged? Catherine, if you only knew what the last few hours have been for me, starting from Grissom, the boys, the poll, coming over here and telling you what..."

"Wait a minute." She hold her hand up."What was that? Did I hear right? A poll, Sara?"

This is awkward. "Ummm. Yeah, no biggie."

She takes a step back and places both hands on her waist. "Spit it out, Sidle."

"Now? Catherine, I just want to hold you. Can't all the question and answers wait?"

A mischevious smile crosses her face. "A poll for a pole, Sara dear."

"A what for a what?" _What is she planning?_

"You tell me about the poll and I'll give you a pole dance."

_Pole dance for me?_ Count me in on that one! I take a deep breath. "This isn't my idea, okay? I'm here because I wanted to be here with you. I only found out from Nick and Warrick that the lab rats started a poll to see how long I would last, if I chicken out or go, stay for a day or the whole weekend and would you believe Nicky and Warrick even placed a bet on me? They're bad. Really, realy bad. I'll get even with them. One of these days I'll get them both. They're naughty, naught boys." And I hold my breath. "So there. Where do I sit, when do we start, and where's the pole?" All I could see right now is fishnet stockings, tight leather skirt, a low cut body hugging top complete with glitter and strobe lights at the side. Good gravy, what a naughty, naughty mind I have right now!

Catherine laughs as she comes towards me. "You're funny, Sara dear." She cups my face with her hands and kisses me.

Hmmm. I like this but I have to remind her. "Uh, Cath... the dance..."

She continues to laugh. "You are a work of art, Sara Sidle."

If she thinks I'll let that slip by, she's dead wrong. A picture of her dancing is already imprinted in my head and I intend to collect what was promised to me.

* * *

"I feel so relived and tired at the same time." She yawn and stretches her arms and eventually resting them on my shoulders. 

I don't know if it's power of suggestion but suddenly I felt so exhausted! I hate to admit but I don't think I can keep my eyes open for a possible dance. I've never felt so drained of energy before! I'd rather be alert, awake and oriented with all my five senses in overdrive when it happens. So I yawn in response to her yawn. "Yeah, I do feel tired too." I rest my forehead on hers and our eyes meet.

"Stay with me, Sara." She whispers as she takes my hand and brings me inside her bedroom. _Okay, I always imagined we'd have a wild night but now thinking about it scares me. What if, if the circumstance arises, I dissapoint her? Oh, mama mia..._

I stop short halfway near her bed. She sees the look of nervousness in my face.

Catherine takes a step closer, looks up to me with a smile and touches my nose lightly. "We don't have to do anything, Sara. It's nearing four and we need to get some rest. And we're both working tonight."

"Sounds good." So I follow her on to the bed. Help her turn the covers down. She fluffs up the pillows and hands me one. I take it with a smile and get in the bed next to her.

She kisses me and cuddles up to me as I stroke her hair. In minutes I felt her body relax and her breathing deepens. She finally fell asleep. And I need to sleep, too. I do like this: Catherine lying next to me.

It's a going big day when the sun shines. This is the start of our lives.

I can't help but smile because Catherine is mine. _Mine. Mine..._

_...and she owes me a dance...zzz...zzz...zzz...zzz..._

* * *

**feedbacks really welcomed...**

**angelle**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**thank you, thank you for all the reviews!**

* * *

I'm having one of those dreams that seem so real. In my dream there is a dog that sits at the end of our bed. It sure is a nice dream. It seems so real because it feels like the dog is now scratching my foot. 

Seems...way...too...real...

I open my sleepy eyes and squint. _Hmmm...It looks like a yellow dog. A yellow labrador perhaps? Catherine has a dog? How come I didn't see it before? Is my mind playing tricks on me?_

_Wait a minute...oh, geez!_ I suddenly bolt, sitting straight up in bed.

Catherine stirs beside me. Stretches, yawns loudly, snuggles closer and rests her arm around my waist.

I do remember saying last night that today's going to be a big day for us. I wasn't expecting it to start like this.

It was more than a whisper, more like a plea. "Um, Catherine? honey, wake up...please? Wake up, baby." I nudge her and pull the covers down a bit.

"Hmmm? Sara, what time is it? I'm cold and still sleepy, baby." She pulls the covers back up her shoulders.

"Mom?"

Catherine sits straight up at the sound of the child's voice."Lindsey? When did you get home?" I can hear the panic in her voice.

And Lindsey, bless her little soul, just stares at me with those baby blue eyes. Damn, I feel so hot I'm melting!

* * *

"Hey, baby. When did you get in?" Catherine gets up and sits next to Lindsey whose eyes were still focused at me. I never felt so uncomfortable! Imagine a little girl staring me down! I feel like pulling the covers over my head. 

"Just now. Aunt Nancy dropped me off." She looks at Catherine and then back at me. _Oh, god... and I thought she was a dog...there are some thoughts that I will keep to myself for the rest of my life. And this would be one of them!_

_\_Catherine looks at me and then at Lindsey, who still hasn't blinked. She takes a deep breath and stokes the little girl's hair. "Honey, I need to talk to you about me and Sara." Catherine's hand rests on my knee. And here I am still in shock. Unable to say or do anything.

Lindsey's eyes roll upward. "That's okay, mom. You always talk about her anyway. 'Sara this, Sara that.' Yak, yak, yak." She mimics Catherine's voice. I look at Catherine who suddenly turns a shade red. I can't help but smile at this.

Catherine looks at me and sees my expression and she smiles too. She takes Lindsey's hand, "so you're okay if me and Sara start seeing eachother?"

"Mom, get real!You two are already in bed together! I'm not born yesterday, duh." She stands up and heads for the door, "oh, mom?" she turns and faces us, "I'm really hungry, too."

Catherine and I just sit there. With our jaws hanging open.

So far so good. I don't know if it's amusing or what but right now I can't help but start feeling love for the little Willows!

* * *

We're in Catherine's kitchen and she's making breakfast. Lindsey is in the living room watching TV. 

I take a sip of coffee. "So it was Grissom's mistake..."

Catherine smiles mischeviously at me. "He'll probably blame himself. I actually pushed him into thinking that it was also part of his idea for you to stay here for the weekend."

"Pushed him?" I'm a bit confused.

"Yes, I kept on suggesting...actually emphasizing over and over again in subtle ways that you're better off spending the weekend with me. I wanted you here, with me. I ...I just wanted you, here. I know I'm being redundant but I wanted you here. Is that...crazy, or something?" She turns around from her cooking, places both arms on her waist while still holding a spatula. _With all this domestic stuff..._ _still barefoot, hair tied up, still wearing that old, oversized shirt_..._damn, she looks so cute and sexy!_

I got up from my stool and walked over to her. I had this need for my lips to meet her lips and let our lips do the talking. So I kiss her, gently. In moments like this words can be so over rated.

And I let our lips do alot of talking. And I'm glad that she didn't argue with that. Because I would've kissed her again, and again. She set the spatula on the counter and her arms wrapped around my waist. _Good golly, this feels so right!_

"Helloooo! Child in the kitchen!" Pipes Lindsey as she enters the kitchen and sits herself on a stool.

We both break our kiss and I can see Catherine's lips are cherry red now. She blushes as she squeezes my arm and returns to her stove.

I walk over to the counter and sit next to Lindsey. "How are you doing, Linds?" I have talked to Lindsey countless times before, even tutor her in math at work once in awhile. But this is the first time I'm feeling so uncomfortable with her.

"Okay, I guess." She pauses and looks into my eyes. "So you really like her?" She points to Catherine who was busy flipping pancakes.

"Actually," I come close to her ear and she leans in and I whisper, "I love her very much."

She leans back and I see the biggest smile, "cool!"

Catherine comes up to us with a platefull of pancakes. "Okay, I'm getting paranoid. What are you two talking about?" She sits next to me and rests her head on my shoulder. Lindsey takes a pancake and places it on her plate and floods it with syrup.

"Nothing." Lindsey sneaks a look at me as she takes a huge bite.

Catherine smiles and reaches out and taps Lindsey's nose, "you think you got Sara wrapped around your finger, huh."

The little girl giggles. I kiss Catherine's forehead. "Both of your fingers. I'm under the Willows spell." I said to no one in particular and take a sip of coffee. The both laugh, and to me it sounded like little bells that I just can't help but feel so good inside.

I like this. Alot. And I have to thank Grissom for his so called 'mistake' for making me come here. That was the best mistake ever!

* * *

Midmorning went by fast, mostly me and Lindsey playing video games. Catherine sat back watching us compete in racing. Once in awhile I turn around to Catherine and all I could see is the look of love and contentment in her face. I've never seen her so radiant and beautiful like this. And my heart continues to swell with love and adoration of her. 

Noontime came and I cooked lunch with the help of Lindsey. The little Willows loved the vegetable lasagna and even had third helpings. Catherine just beamed with pride watching her daughter eat vegetables! Afterwards, Catherine and I washed the dishes. It felt like we've been together forever. Everything in my life finally seemed in it's right place. And I wasn't hesitant to tell this to her.

I would turn to her every now and then to whisper 'I love you.' She responds with the same words and with a kiss. Yes, I love Catherine Willows.

It was nearing one o'clock and the need for sleep is tugging me. Catherine whispered something to her daughter and Lindsey turns around giving me this huge smile. I look at her with a 'what did I do now' look. She giggles and waves saying "good night, guys!"

Catherine takes my hand and we walk the steps upstairs. She goes into Lindsey's room and gets my overnight bag. She comes out and grins, "This should have been in my room in the first place." I can't help but agree with her.

* * *

She takes a shower and I sit by the bed and wait for my turn. I have my towel in hand and here I am strangling it. I close my eyes and thoughts of Catherine naked and wet in the shower is blowing in my mind. I know she said she doesn't want to rush me but damn, this is too much! So here I am, my heart beating fast like congo drums and I'm trying as hard as hell to control my breathing. 

Soon she comes out with a towel wrapped around her body and one around her hair. "Your turn, babe," she says lightly and settles herself infront of the dresser picking out PJ's. I try not to look because I'm tempted to pull her towel and throw her on to the bed. _Damn it! Why do I have such will power?_

I turn on the water and take off my clothes. _Ahhhh... the feel of cool water rushing down on me never felt so good! Maybe it'll calm my raging hormones from rushing out there and taking her ..._

The bathroom door suddenly opens and the shower curtain is pulled back. Catherine stands in front of me, minus the towels.

_Oh god_, my eyes travel slowly from her face all the way down then slowly back up to her eyes. "Catherine..."

A smirk is on her face and she simply says in a husky, low sexy voice, "Damn you, Sara. I tried to stop coming in but can't help myself ..." Her eyes does the same travelling as I did a milisecond ago. I can clearly see the want in her eyes and she probably sees the lust in mine.

She whispers, "God, you're beautiful, Sara..."

"Catherine..."

She steps into shower next to me, and in seconds she's as wet as I am...

And my heart is beating once again like the African drums.

* * *

**feedbacks always appreciated...**

**angelle**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Loads of thanks to all the feedbacks...**

**Pardon my mistakes. I'm not from around here :D**

* * *

Taking a shower will never be the same for me again. It will always be one of the most exciting places to make love. I have never known that you could do all those things in there. Okay, I have. But me experiencing it with Catherine just blows me away. Being so aroused, so fulfilled, so satisfied all in one setting. Catherine said to let it all flow out of me, and I let it run. I didn't even want to get out but Catherine held out my hand and said my fingers are all 'shriveled up' from the water. With a mischevious smile she adds, "there still is the bed, you know." And with a pull we're out of the shower and kissing our way towards the bed, wet and all. 

I don't know how Catherine does it, where she gets all her energy. I think she takes after the energizer bunny. She keeps going, and going, and going. And I'm not the one to complain...

_Why would I?_

* * *

"Hey, babe. Wake up..." She kisses my bare back and her hand travels lightly down my spine giving me that same tingly feeling that I experienced earlier. She moves my hair to the side and proceeds to kiss my neck. I smile and moan in response. I don't want her to stop, _ever_. 

She whispers in my ear, "Sara, honey, wake up. We gotta get ready for work." _Already? I can hardly move my body!_

I flip over slowly and she positions herself untop of me. She's fully clothed now. "When did you get changed and all?" I rub her thighs lightly.

"An hour ago. I had to get dressed before my sister picked up Lindsey." Her eyes travel to my breasts and I can see in her eyes that she's trying her best not to get distracted. She gives out a sigh, "okay, let me cover those first." She cups my breast with her palms. "Now," she says with a smile, "we got to get ready, babe. I made coffee downstairs. Get dressed before I do something and we'll both end up late." She grins and stands up. "I really need to get out of the room because I have this urge to jump you again." She heads out the door.

I laugh and call after her, "that would be an excellent idea!"

"Don't tempt me, Sidle!" She says as she goes downstairs.

I slowly crawl and sit at the side of the bed with a smile.

_I love this. I love being with Catherine. I love the feeling of finally knowing what it means to be in love. And the sex is out of this world!_

I hear her mumbling something seconds later as she comes back up the stairs. "What did you say, Cath?"

Catherine comes in the room unbuttoning her top fast and flings it to the side, her bra flies out in seconds. "Screw work. I miss you already."

* * *

We got the break room with Grissom at our heels. Catherine sits on the opposite side of the table, barely looking at me. Grissom pauses and stares at me. He looked like he didn't get much sleep at all. I know I have to talk to him later. But my plan is to avoid him at all costs. 

Greg notices and comes to the rescue. "Hey, Gris. I heard that stick insects are hard to breed."

Grissom shifts his eyes to Greg with interest, "I have a book at home in breeding them. If you're intesested I can lend it to you."

Greg answers, "Uh, yeah. Sure, Boss. That'll be fun to read."

"Well, you know, stick inse..."

Catherine calls him quietly, "Gil."

"...they're really exciting little things. You can really see the stages of it's development when ..." Nick rubs his eyes in boredom, Warrick looks up the ceiling, Greg continues to pretend to look interested on what Grissom is saying. Catherine rolls her eyes up and exhales. _Damn, she's cute when she's getting bored!_

"Hey, Gil!" Catherine snaps her finger catching Grissom's attention. "Our assignments?"

He pauses and takes a deep breath, "Joint commission is coming two weeks from now. Ecklie wants everything spick and span starting from the lab all the way down to reports. I know you all follow the protocol but it needs to be double checked. This will be our priority when we don't have cases. So each one of you will be given tasks to do. Here are your assignments." He circles the table placing slips infront of the night shift crew. Groans and moans can be heard from Warrick and Nick as they read theirs. Greg gives out a 'yes!' when he read he would be stuck in the place he originated from, the lab.

Catherine reads hers and complains, "Gil, you got to come up with something better than this." She hold up her paper.

"Catherine, you do blood the best." He closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose. "please, just...let's just do this." With that, Grissom walks out of the break room.

Greg steals a glance at me. I look at him with raised eyebrows. I then look at Catherine and she shrugs her shoulders. Nick looks at me questioningly. And I give him a 'what did I do' look. Warrick sits back and watches everyone.

Catherine gets up and sighs out loud, "I guess I have to talk to him and see if he's okay." I watch as she exits the room. _Damn, she's hot!_

Warrick leans forward and eyes me, "alright, Sidle. Spill it out. What's up with the two of you." Nick grins and waits for an answer. I could feel my heart beat fast._ Was Catherine and I that obvious? We hardly even looked at each other when we got in!_

"I don't know what you mean, War."

Nick leans forward and in a whisper, "Duh, you and Grissom, of course. What's up?" _Thank goodness! I thought he meant Catherine! _

"Nothing's going on." Which is the truth.

"Come on, Sara." Nick adds, "it's obvious by the way he looked at you."

I look at both of them, maybe I could give them a little information just to leave me alone. "I thought I had this thing for him a long time ago but that was a long time ago. Went out but didn't work out. So it's history. Ancient history, done, zip, nada. That's it. Moving along now." I look at Nick and he doesn't seem convinced. "And I don't know what's wrong with Gissom tonight. There. Satisfied?"

"So what's your assignment?" Nick asks with interest.

I look at my paper and mumble, "labeling."

"See?" Nick looks at Warrick, "I knew she'll get an easy one!" Then he leans on the table and whispers, "so, how was it last night?"

"Alright, alright... Let's get going, guys. Before Ecklie nails us for still sitting our asses. Come on, Nick." Greg stands up, taps him on the shoulder and heads for the door. Nick yawns and follows him out. He pauses by the door and winks at me, "I'm not gonna let this settle till you tell me, Sidle."

"Sure, Nick. You're the man." He flashes me his perfect smile and walks with Greg down the hall.

I stand up heading out but Warrick blocks the way. "Sara, can I talk to you?'

I look up at him. "Sure. What's up?" _Another Grissom question again? This is getting redundant!_

With a concerned look, "I don't want you and Catherine getting hurt, okay?" He squeezes my arm lightly as he walks out.

I am left in the break room with my jaw hanging open.

_What?_

_

* * *

_"Warrick, Warrick!" I catch up to him. He turns around and looks at me. "What are you talking about?" 

"Sara," he rests his hand on my shoulder, "you, Grissom and Catherine. You three tell it all."

"I don't..."

He looks at me in the eye. "You know I gambled before, right? And I'm a great poker player. And a great poker player knows how to read his opponent, right?" I nod slowly.

"I can see it in you and Catherine. There's something between you two that you guys don't want us to find out." I just stare at him. And he adds with a smile, "plus trying to avoid looking at eachother and stealing glances doesn't help either."

"Warrick..."

"Plus, for weeks I watched the two of you getting close. Then again the tension, then again trying to figure each other out. Like a viscious cycle."

I look at him wide eyed. "You noticed all of this?" He must of been one hell of a poker player!

His smile widens, "You got Greg to talk to, Catherine has me." He winks at me and walks off.

I call after him. "She told you?" _Catherine confides in Warrick?_

He turns around and walks towards me, and with a low voice, "she didn't have to. It was wasy to figure it out. All our conversations were mostly about you. It was like 'Sara this, Sara that.'"

I blush at the thought of Catherine talking about me to Warrick and to Lindsey.

He lifts my chin up with his finger and looks me in the eye, "Are you happy? Is she happy?"

"It seems she's happy. And ... I think I love her." I say quietly.

He smiles and chuckles, "Awsome, man! Totally awsome! You know, she's been after you for awhile but afraid to do anything about it. Then she and Grissom comes up with a plan of you staying with her. And it as the perfect oppurtunity. And it's funny because Nick who claims to be a ladies man does not have a clue at all. He is so in the dark. And he can stay there till you two decide what's next."

"Thanks, War." I give him a hug.

"Alright, alright. I'm a hero and all. Come on, we better start working before we get in trouble."

_So Catherine has been pinning for me for awhile! YES!_

* * *

I go in the stock room and groan at the boxes on the table that needed to be looked at._ It sure is going to be a long night._

I slowly open one and start pulling out folders, checking and making sure each case was labeled correctly. _I am so sleepy! Damn! I wish I was in bed with Catherine. I just love the way she moves, everything with her is as smooth as silk. Aughh! I'm getting goose bumps remembering her hand slowly..._

Suddenly I hear the door swing open and the sound of it being locked._ Oh, shit! Hope it's not Grissom!_ I look around to see where I can duck. I crawl and crouch behind the cabinet table. _Bad place to hide, but hell, beggars can't be chooser in times like this. And I intend to give every excuse in the planet not to speak to him!_

"Sara, you in here?"

I bolt straight up at the sound of her voice. Catherine spots me, and walks towards me with a sexy, mischevious smile.

"Catherine..."

"Shhhh..." She pushes me gently to the wall. In a low voice she says, "I did thirty minutes of work and thought that it's a good time to go on a break." She kisses me on my neck and purrs in my ear, "so here I am on my break." _Damn, I'm getting goose bumps!_

And I feel her hands slowly sliding up my blouse and under my bra, cupping and massaging my breast. I'm starting to feel sparks shooting all over my body again. Talk about arousal!

* * *

I start to unbuttoned the top of her blouse but she stops me. "Sara baby," she says in a husky voice, making my skin tingle, "I'm on my break. So_ I_ get to do what_ I_ want. Because this is _my_ break." She unbuttons my jeans slowly, her hand slips inside, and she grins at what she can do to me in less than a minute. My breathing becomes faster as I hold on to her shoulders. I know I won't be able to stand by myself when she's done. But I am sure as hell ready! 

She bites her lower lip and she focuses on my eyes. "You do what _you_ want to do on _your_ break. For now, you're _mine_." Her other hand rests on my hips.

"Damn, I'm hungry for you, Sara..."

And suddenly I'm pushed up the wall. And there I go, moaning her name over and over again.

In an hour or so I will also go on a break, and she better prepare herself!

That is, if I gain my strength back in time.

* * *

**reviews?**


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

**Disclaimer: same as usual: Will never, ever own CSI nor CBS. Don't sue, I'm a poor student trying to make ends meet. I just like playing around with the characters.**

**sorry for the wait...had to catch up with life, school and laptop problems.**

* * *

Catherine is like an addictive drug. She automatically gets in your system once you've had a taste of her. And the more she fills you, the more you hunger for her. I may be flushed, sweaty, drained of energy right now but I can't seem to take my hands off her. The taste of her lips, the smell of her skin, the feel of her hands on me... I can't stop wanting her! 

"Catherine...the way you make me feel..."

"Shhh...it's okay, relax now, baby. There, breathe. Breathe...there now..."

_Relax._ "...ummmmm..." _Breathe._

* * *

I'm trying to catch my breath but with every move that Catherine makes, it's utterly impossible that I just end up gasping and moaning her name. After three, I just stopped counting how many times I've reached orbit. Who could think straight after that? Damn, she's good! So deliciously good! But in between being pinned to the wall and resting before the next one I made a promise to myself that I will get even with Catherine. I may not be as accomplished as she is but I'm a quick learner and I've got some tricks up my sleeve. I will make her scream my name and shudder in release, that she will want me to do it over and over again. This thought of repaying her has determined me to keep up. 

I never realized that I can be a naughty, naughty girl.

Hell, and to think I was with Grissom for seven long months!

_

* * *

_

We're sitting on the floor and my head rests of her shoulder. She gently stokes my hair and whispers in my ear, "I can't get enough of you, Sara." 

I close my eyes and smile and start to mumble under my breath. "Damn it, Catherine, I wish we were somewhere else than this crummy store room with cold, hard floors. I wish I was pushed up against your floral printed walls, instead of this grey tastless painted cold wall. I wish I could take off my boots and feel of the soft, warm carpet on my feet, instead of this cold, white tiled floor. The sound of soft background music instead of the humming and buzzing of computers nearby. I wish I could only hear your moan instead of the distant voices of the people around. I wish I was on your warm bed slowly undressing you, taking my time exposing every inch of your soft, smooth skin, watching your breathing hitch everytime I touch and kiss you. I wish..."

"Sara..."

"But come to think of it, it's very exciting doing this right here at work, right under the noses of Grissom and Ecklie. So being pushed and pinned on this crummy wall, the feel of the cold floor, the smell of old paper and dusty boxes around us...is actually worth it. It's very aousing. I guess I really don't care where we are as long as I'm with you. " I pick up her hand and looking directly in her eyes, kissing every finger slowly. "I like the feel of your skin against mine, you in me, me in you. Hearing you moan, touching you, carressing you..."

"Shut up, Sara. I'm getting very much aroused right now and..."

The sound of the door knob being tured.

We both get up quick, buttoning our blouses. I'm zipping my pants up like crazy and she's trying to comb her hair with her hands.

Catherine whispers, "I locked the door. Hell, who could that be?" I shrug my shoulders hoping it's not him.

Knock. Knock. "Sara? You in there?" The knob is being turned left and right.

We look at each other and both whisper the name of the person I'm planning to avoid for life. "Grissom." _Hell!_

_

* * *

_I start to panic. "Do I open the door? Do I sit back there again? Can I ignore the knocking? You think he'll go away?" 

Catherine smoothes her blouse and walks up and kisses me. "It's okay, Sara. Just take a deep breath."

I close my eyes and I just do that. _Deep breaths...think of happy thoughts. Catherine. Catherine. Catherine._

But the knocking continues_. Damn it!_

Catherine rolls her eyes upward and opens the door. "Hey, Gil" She smiles at him sweetly.

He looked genuinely surprised by her presence. "Catherine?" _Thank god I'm not alone to face him!_

"Well, I gotta get back." _What?_ "She turns around to me and with a devilish smile, "thanks, Sara. I'll catch you later." And with that she turns her heels and walks off. _Oh! I will get her for that!_

"Sara..."

"What's up?" I walk behind the table and and start taking out files from the box and placing them all over the table. _Maybe he'll get the message I'm busy._

"Sara. I know I have no right to ask but..."

"I got a lot of work to do, Gris."

"I know but..."

The funny thing about an awkward moment is that it seems it lasts forever even though it's just seconds ticking by.

"Gris, you did nothing wrong. I just... I just..."

Catherine suddenly comes in. "Hey, you all!" she looks at Grissom then at me and winks, "am I intruding or something?" Oh, sure. _Now _she's back. By her looks I know she felt guilty leaving me with him.

Grissom says a "yes" and I shout a "no" at the same time.

"Okay," she puts both her hands on her hips, "which is which now. Because Brass is looking for you." She points to Grissom and "I," she points to me, "need you." I don't know if she needs my expertise or if she means physically. But right now I don't care. I just want to get out of this confrontational stuff I'm not good at.

Grissom's eyebrow shoots up, "Brass?"

Catherine shrugs her shoulder. "Yeah, he said something about something. A case something, I thought I heard him mention a larvae or something creepy like that. I don't know. But he was in a hurry."

"Oh. I need to catch him then." He glances at me and walks out in a hurry. I knew the mention of larvae got his attention.

Catherine locks the door behind her and a devilish smile creeps up her face.

I walk up towards her. "You lied, didn't you?"

"Brass was looking for him, but," she places her hands on my waist pulling me close. "But that's before I attacked you in here. I was suppose to find him earlier but I made a beeline to this room." We kissed and my hands started to make it's way under her blouse again.

"You felt guilty leaving me here with him?"

"Hmmm," she kisses my neck, "like I said earlier, I can't seem to get enough of you, baby."

I never thought office work can be so exciting.

* * *

**reviews would be cool...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**disclaimer: same as in the other chapters. I don't own them. I just like having fun with them. Plus, I'm a poor student trying to make ends met.**

_**took me awhile...had too many term papers, projects, research work. plus moving sucks.**_

* * *

"You know, Sara, at some point you have to shoo me away so we can actually get some work done." 

"Now why would I do a crazy thing like that? Aren't you comfortable sitting on my lap?" I rub my hand up her naked back.

Catherine slowly runs her hand through my hair and whispers in my ear. "I am, baby." Good golly! I'm feeling my eyeballs roll up my head again!

"Then stay..."

"I got to get back, baby." Catherine stretches and stands, extends her hand and pulls me up.

"Can't you stay a few more minutes?" Maybe if I look pitiful she's stay.

Catherine smiles as she finishes buttoning up her blouse, "find me later, sweetie." She places a kiss on my cheeks.

"Oh, I will." _Definitely._

* * *

Geez... I've been leafing through these files for almost two hours now. How time slows down when you're doing something totally boring! Looking through every single file is making me dizzy. I can't see how people in offices can look at numbers for hours and don't get cross eyed. 

I need coffee. Maybe swing by Catherine and check her out._ Ah, all the mental images that come to mind._

Coffee. I'll bring her coffee. That's a good excuse to see her.

Sure is quiet around here. Hell! Grissom is coming out of the break room. _Did he see me? Did he see me?_

"Sara?" _Crap, he did!_

Shoot! Now I got to talk to him! "Oh, hey. What's up? You coming out? I'm going to get some coffee, bring Catherine some, too. I guess I'll see you soon, somewhere around. Okay, bye now." I head straight to the coffee machine.

Grissom smiles and follows me inside, "I know you're trying to avoid me, Sara."

"Not."

"Sara."

"Not."

"Sara..."

"Really, Gil. I'm just... just..."

"Sara, come on now."

Damn it. "Is it that obvious?"

"It's okay. I just... I don't know." He pauses and sighs, "you doing okay?"

"I'm doing good." Do I have to ask him, too? Hell. "Uh, how are you?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "on the contrary, I'm doing fine." He pauses for a second and looks me in the eye. "Catherine treating you well?"

"Oh, hell, yes!" Damn! Why does the mention of her name get me excited? Did he notice?

"So..." Grissom takes a deep breath, "she's treating you..._well_." Why did he say that in a funny way?

"Yeah, Gris, I uh...I got to go." I'm holding two full steaming cups now.

"Sara, can we talk before you run away again?"

I exhale. "uh... Sure." I know someday this would happen.

"You and Catherine. Is this...this what you want." It wasn't a question anymore. He knows. Might as well face the truth.

No sense trying to lie to him. "Yes, she's what I want, Gil. I'm happy... with her." His shoulders sink lower.

I sit down and start to find interest in my boots. He sits across me and quietly says, "so, it's...Catherine."

I leaned foreward and stared at him. "At first Catherine and I talked, just talked. You know, like we always do. The usual about work and all. Then slowly it became personal stuff. What we wanted in life. About the present and the future. I realized that I felt so comfortable. And there was this funny feeling inside of me that wouldn't stop everytime I got near. It was like a longing, a feeling of comfort, easiness, being relaxed. Like being finally... home. I never felt like that and I wanted more. And it was because of her."

Grissom sat there, quiet as a mouse. His eyes focused on the coffee cups on the table.

And I continued. "It felt so right being next to her, loving her."

"Catherine." I say her name again and felt my heart skip a beat. I look up as his gaze met mine. " I knew I was attracted to Catherine for sometime now but I was afraid to face it. I denied it. I mean it's Catherine we're talking about. Only a fool wouldn't find her attractive."

He responds quietly, "I know. Catherine is... beautiful." He tries to mask his sadness with a smile.

"The word beautiful is synonymous with her name. She's attractive, intelligent, gorgeous, dedicated..."

"Breathtaking." He leans back and closes his eyes and continues. "Smart, funny, full of energy and life, invigorating, sweet, stubborn..."

_What the hell?_ "Yo, Grissom!" I snap my fingers waking him up from his trance.

"I'm sorry." He takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes. "I... I got carried away."

Hell, he sure did. He's talking about _my_ Catherine! Can't help but feel the need of reaching over and snapping his neck in two. "Do you have a thing for Catherine?"

He sighs, "I did a long time ago. Years ago." He puts his glasses back on. "We all did have an attraction for her. She's Catherine Willows." He smiles again, "But I wasn't brave enough. She intimidated me."

Grissom intimidated? That's hard to believe. "And?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "Imagine beauty and the geek." I smile at the thought. "We have nothing in common except for our dedication of our work."

I lean back and it made me think. Aside from work what do me and Catherine have in common? Okay, sex. But other than that? I don't know. Geez! what if she gets tired of me? What if... _hell!_

I stand up with the now warm coffee cups. "I gotta go, Gris." I need to talk to her. Oh, man, what if it's just a phase for her?

"Are you okay?" He looks concerned at my now semi panic state.

"I love Catherine. You okay with that?" The question has taken him aback.

"Uh...I...I guess I have to accept that.."

Yada, yada, yada. "Okay, good. I gotta go."

He stands up. "Sara..."

"Coffee." I hold up the two cups in his face. "Gotta go. See ya later." Hopefully not.

I left him in the breakroom, puzzled.

* * *

_This is Catherine. She doesn't stay long in relationships. Will I end up in the curb after she tires of me? Hell._

I went straight to her office. "Catherine?" I push her door open slowly. I set the coffee cups down_. Where is she?_

Maybe Greg seen her. I head to his lab, push the glass door and pop my head in. "Hey, Greg. Seen Catherine? You know where she is? Seen her? Has she been around? She's not in her office. Did she say where she'll be? She got a case or something? Is she..."

He looks up, his brow wrinkles. "Sara, you okay?" He takes off his gloves and approaches me. "What's the matter?"

"What if she leaves me, Greg?" I don't know if he can understand my now high pitched panicked voice. "What if she gets tired of me? What will I do, Greg? What if it's a phase for her? I love her and what happens if she doesn't? What will I do, Greg? What?"

His smiles at me.

I take a step up making me in his face. "AND THIS MAKES YOU HAPPY BECAUSE?"

"Uh, better if you ask her." He quietly points to Catherine.

I turn around. "Oh."

And there she was sitting at the corner with a smirk on her face. Amused.

* * *


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**disclaimer: same as usual as in the other chapters.**

* * *

And there's Catherine: behind the file cabinet, hidden in the corner with that grin of hers. It would've been so cute if wasn't directed at me. Sitting there, amused of my 'she loves me-she loves me not' stage. Well, whatever. In my current state of mind, my actions are justified. 

She calls my name ever so sweetly, "Sara."_ Damn it! The way she says it is so sexy that it's giving me goose bumps!_

I lean against the glass door, fold my arms across my chest and nod in awknowledgement. "Hey, babe. What's up?" Maybe if I look cool she'll forget the past few panic staged seconds and concentrate on my cuteness.

She raises an eyebrow, still grinning. "Aren't you going to ask me something?"

_Man, she likes to be direct._ Before I could say anything, Greg jumps in.

"Uh, ladies," he scratches his head, "don't you think you two, umm... would want privacy or something? Like, I don't know..." He cocks his head towards the door, "like your office maybe?" He looks pleadingly at Catherine.

Catherine smiles sweetly but her eyes never leaving me. "That is an excellent thought, Greg. But you see, if we head off to my office to talk, there would be a slight... distraction if I should say."

I continue to look at her, curiosity hitting me._ A distraction?_ Now I'm thinking hard, what is she talking about?

Greg, too had the same thought and ventures to ask. "And that would be..." He trails off.

"Well," Catherine stands up and straightens her blouse, "the second I lock my door, the first thing that would come to mind," she takes a step towards me, "is to rip her blouse open, kiss her silly, lay her on my table. And right then and there we make hot, passionate love." She glances at Greg, whose jaw drops. And I think I stopped breathing.

She bites her lower lip and slowly inches closer towards me. Her eyes focus at me, watching me. I know I'm hyperventilating. My sweaty hands are behind me now, pressed against the glass leaving my prints. _Damn it! The things she can do to me! _

"So the office is out of the question for now, Greg, but," She's now inches away from me, I can hear my own heart beat, she purrs in my ear, "maybe later, babe?"

Now I say the only thing that comes to mind, and in a hoarse tone I answer, "hell, yeah."

"Plus," she turns to Greg who was as pale as a sheet of paper, "I need a witness. And that's you." She points to him. "And it would be better if you moved around, Greg. Keep your blood pumping and all."

Seconds ticked by and Greg Sanders still hasn't moved nor made a sound, his jaw still hanging open. So she comes up to him and kisses his cheek, taking him out of his trance and earning points for making him blush, big time.

I on the other hand am confused on why she needs a witness but at the same time being flooded of thoughts of what can go on once she closes her office door.

* * *

Catherine comes up to me again with that grin of hers. Proceeds to puts her hands on my waist. "So ask me the question, Sara." 

"Huh?" I'm still being mesmerized by her beauty and her now being inches away. "Umm... whazzat?" I'm inhaling her sweet smelling perfume.

Her voice was as soft as a whisper. "Ask me."

"Ask you..." Okay, I'm still confused. I even forgot what I was doing minutes ago. Why the hell I barged into Greg's lab. What I'm supposed to ask her. _Ahhh! The effects that the woman has on me!_

She runs her hand through her long strawberry blond hair and shakes her head, obviously still amused that I totally forgot my purpose. All I'm thinking right now is remembering how it feels running my hand through her hair while we're making love.

"Ask me, Sara." She pulls me closer.

"I...I...ummm...Catherine...forgot..."

She throws her head back and laughs lightly. "Sara, Sara, Sara. You are so sweet and funny! It's priceless!"

And what's going in my mind is when she throws her head back like that, how her body arches towards me when we're making love. How sexy her voice becomes when she moans my name over and over again. And the feel of my fingers running down her long tresses...

"Sara..." _God, the way how she says my name!_

_Okay, I need to focus!_

She then leans in and whispers in my ear. "Ask me if this is just a phase for me." She leans back and looks me in the eye with all seriousness. "Ask me if I'll leave you. Ask me if I'll ever get tired of you. Ask me if we have a tomorrow. Ask me if I'll stay. Ask me all the questions that you're doubting about." She kisses my cheek, "ask me... if I love you."

I close my eyes and breathe deep. "A question I'm afraid to ask because I'm afraid of the answer."

The room was quiet for a moment. I can still feel her hands on my waist slowly pulling me closer to her. I can feel her lips near my ear, her voice is sweet and gentle, reassuring. "I love you, Sara Sidle. I love you. I loved you yesterday and the days before. I loved you before we fell asleep and continued to love you when we woke up. I love you today and I will continue to love you tomorrow. I want you to be my present and my future." She caresses my cheek with the back of her hand, "open your eyes, Sara, and look at me."

And I slowly lift my eyes to the woman I'm loving more every second. She takes my hand and places it over her heart. "You make me happy, Sara. You really do. And no, this is not a phase and I'm not leaving and if you do, I will fight for us. I want us to work, Sara. Just me and you, babe. Me and you. Because finally I've found someone who would love me for being me. It was you all along." She pauses for a second and askes, "do you...do you love me, Sara?"

Everything around me is spinning fast. And all that I know is Catherine is with me, never letting me go. If this is a dream I do not want to wake up. I just want to continue to have this feeling of love, of belongingness. So I breathe and answer her with all sincerity in my heart. "Yes, I do love you very, very much that it scares me, Catherine. So much that my love for you is so huge that I'm afraid that if you leave I will not be able to go on."

With that her lips met my mine and it was the most beautiful, most passionate kiss I've ever had.

We break after much needed air. She moves a misplaced strand off my face and hooks it behind my ear. "Sara, loving you very much also scares me. Because I don't know what I'd do without you."

I don't know for some reason I felt tears forming in my eyes and slowly making it's way down to my cheeks. "You got me, Catherine. I'm yours, baby. I'm not going anywhere without you. I promise."

With tears streaming down her cheeks, she cups my face in her hands and grins. "I will hunt you down and kill you over and over again if you leave me, Sara Sidle." Her smile widens, " I still have connections from the underground world, honey."

I smile and kiss her. "Ahh, you'll have a hard time getting rid of me. If you try I'll keep on sticking with you like velcro. Like I said I'm not going anywhere without you. You're stuck with me, baby."

We held on to eachother like there was no tomorrow. But then...

_Ehem...ehem..._

I forgot we had a witness. We both turned to Greg.

He puts both hands deep in his pockets and with a wide smile, "that was beautiful, guys. I mean you two should say that in a vow or something. Damn, I wish someone would say that to me someday." He then scratches his chin, "umm... except for the part of hunting and killing over and over again thing."

I'm still in Catherine's arms. She smiles at me, "that's why I needed a witness."

I raised an eyebrow towards Greg and smile. "So in case I suddenly go missing, he knows who to question?"

She kisses my lips, "and that, too."

"Uhh... girls. I think...I think...I don't, you know...witnesss and all..."

I look over Catherine's shoulder, "Shut up, Greg." And pull Catherine closer again.

* * *


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

**disclaimer: same stuff. **

* * *

Catherine and I walk out of Greg's lab. He catches us by the door, "you two, ummm...heading...you, know." His smile was contagious as he flips his thumb in the direction where Catherine's office was. 

Catherine raises both eyebrows, "you think we're going to have sex every chance we get, Greg?"

He turns beet red in seconds, embarrassed. "Ummm...I...I...I need to get back to work. Yeah, work. Work is needed. Gotta go." He starts mumbling something about test tubes as the glass door closes behind him.

I grinned at her mischeviously. "You could've said 'yes', Catherine."

A sly smile formed at the corner of her mouth. "I know. I just wanted to see his reaction, babe." We both laugh as we walked hand in hand through the hallway, happy in love. _Then_ we turned the corner.

And almost bumbed into Grissom.

First thing I saw is his eyes went downward, to our entwined fingers. I automatically wanted to let go but Catherine held a firm grip.

He nodded his head in greeting. "Ladies."

Catherine responds with a smile, "Gil."

His eyes then shifted to me, waiting for me to say something.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. It was one of the most awkward moments I've ever felt. It's the longest seven seconds in my life.

I just kept on breathing, fast. My heart running, for reasons I don't know why. _Is it because I'm meeting my ex with whom I was sleeping with the week before and then breaking up and telling him tonight I'm in love with Catherine Willows? Hmmm..._

Catherine notices the uncomfortable moment between us, actually within the three of us. Well, between me and Grissom, Grissom with me and Catherine, but Catherine...I got to hand it to her for being smooth.

She never missed a heart beat. "Hey, Gil." With a beaming smile she casually askes, "how's things going? Everything going smooth tonight?" She's still holding my hand like it was the most normal thing to do.

He takes a deep breath, focuses on her and does a narration of bringing her up to speed of the things that has been going on for the past few hours. She listens intently, agreeing with the comments he made about Ecklie, she offered suggestions and even nodding and disagreeing at the right moments. And she continues to hold my hand, never for once letting go. And I stood there watching her, admiring her more for standing up for us. _For us. And me?_

After their almost ten minute conversation, he nods to both of us, "Sara, Catherine." And walks away.

That's when Catherine turns to me with that look in her eyes, a look I know not to mess with.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Both hands are now on her hips. _Oh, dear._

"I... I..." I point to the now empty hallway where Grissom walked by.

"Sara, listen." She rests both of her hands on my shoulders. "It's okay. We're fine. We're in this together, okay? So he knows about us, so what? You broke up with him. So stop being scared. This is us now, okay?"

"I...I..." Seems like that has become my favorite vowel at the moment.

"Sara..." This time she looks at me with softness written all over her face.

I breathe deep. "Thanks." I take her hand in mine. "Thanks for not letting go of me." I couldn't look her in the eye. "I'm sorry. I just... I don't know. I was so used to hiding and all." I felt terrible because that's what I wanted to do when I saw him. Hide like the way I used to be with him, afraid of other people finding and knowing about us. But now I'm with Catherine. I'm with her now. I don't need to hide. Facing him is over.

She tugs my hand and and we continue to walk. "It's okay and you're welcome." She glances at me with a smirk, "and by the way next time you do that, you're not getting any."

_I'm going to make sure that it never happens again!_

* * *

She opens her office door and ushers me inside. Thoughts of making love on her table was getting me all excited. I'm just waiting for her to push me against the wall and rip my blouse open. 

But she went around her table and sat down. Puts on her glasses and looks at the now cold coffee and says, "you brought this? This been here long?"

I stood there frozen in time. My mouth wide open. She looks up at me and says, "well, let me get rid of this and get us fresh ones then." She takes the cold cups and walks out.

She's back in less than five minutes with two steaming cups in her hand. She sets in on the table and sits down, flips a folder open and reads. I on the other hand am left standing there.

"Ooookay..." I whisper and slowly head for the door. _I guess I'm not getting any. Might as well head back to my little stock room, check labels and feel bad._

"Where do you think you're going?" She doesn't look up from her reading. But reaches for her cup and slowly takes a sip.

"I...I.." _What the hell?_

"Drink your coffee and sit, Sara." She still hasn't looked up. So I shrug my shoulders, take the coffee and sit across her desk. And waited. For what exactly, I don't know.

So I watched her as she read. As she sipped her coffee. I watched her flip the page over. As she rubbed her temple with her free hand. I watched her as she picked up a pencil and started making notes. I watched her twirl strands of hair around her finger. I watched as she adjusts her glasses. As she picks up the pencil and made rhythmic tappings on her desk. I watched as she shifts around in her seat, trying to get comfortable. I watched her as other strands of hair slowly fell near her face. And as she pushed them back behind her ear. I watched her breathe in and out. I watch the little things she does. Likehow she raises her right eyebrow when she reads something interesting. How she wets her lips after taking a sip of her coffee. How she tilts her head to the right and takes a deep breath when she flips the page over.

And I continued to watch her every movement. Somehow it didn't bother me at all. I realized I was contented watching her. Just being there with her. No, it didn't bother me at all. Actually, it just felt really good.

"So," she looks up from her reading, "are you just going to sit there and stare?" I didn't realize that almost thirty minutes has passed and I never complained.

"Yup." I grin mischeviously, "I've become you're personal watcher slash future stalker."

"Hmmm...I like that a lot."

"You not going to have a problem with that? Me staring and watching you all the time?"

"No. But I guess you would have a problem after awhile."

"_I_ would have a problem? _Me_?" I'm trying to think of why would it be a problem for me? I mean I enjoy watching her. Watching Catherine Willows, best past time in the world!

Her lips curl up and she says slowly, "are you just going to watch me take my clothes off when I get off from work?" She touches the button on her blouse, rolling her finger over it. And I'm waiting in anticipation for her to pop it open.

" As I remove every clothing piece by piece till I'm totally... hmmm, let's see? ... naked?" Her eyes are piercing me now, her voice a hoarse whisper, "are you just going to watch me take a shower? Watch the warm water run through my skin? Watch as I soap... hmmmm... my whole...body?" I know my jaw fell to the floor after her first sentence.

She leans forward making me see more of her clevage. _Damn! she's doing this on purpose!_ "Really, Sara. Just watch?" Her right eyebrow raises.

I turn around and look at her door, making sure it's locked. Then I face her with a mischevious grin. "I didn't say that I'm not going to touch." I get up from my seat and go around her desk making me stand inches away from her. My fingers lightly touching the exposed area of her chest, and I whisper, "of course, _you_ can watch what _I_ touch."

She let's out a breath of air and moans. "Damn you, Sara..." She pulls my arm down and captures my lips with hers.

_This is more like it.

* * *

_

_**Reviews would be nice...**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

**per FloatingInMoon.**

* * *

By my standards the night went by smoothly. Okay, let me rephrase that: _way too smooth_. It may be hard to believe but I was able to finish checking and labeling a couple of boxes. I realized that if I'm inspired, I work more better and faster. Actually it was Catherine's idea that I better get some work done before we get into trouble. Meaning Grissom. And probably in the near future, with Ecklie. 

Who cares about Eckile anyway? I've been on his hit list since I've met him. Maybe if I talked back less or try to avoid doing things impulsively we might see eye to eye on certain things. Who am I kidding anyway? I do what I think what is right.What interests me is how Catherine can get away with being rude to him. He just watches her walk away. Then again we're talking about Catherine who can get away with almost everything.

* * *

_Nearing seven in the morning. Might as well call it a night and head off to see what she's doing. It's been more than three hours since I last saw her. Damn, I'm missing her!_

_Augh! My back hurts! They should invent soft tables. So the next time me and Catherine get it on on her table I..._

"Hey, Sara! Doing some stretches? You're already limber enough.Going to the locker room?"

"Huh? Oh, hi, Greg. It's my back. I think I over stretched it awhile ago. And yeah, I'm heading there to get my things."

"I'll walk with ya. Damn! You must of over worked your back if you're cringing like that. You should get up and do some stretching if you're sitting more than an hour."

"No, I was on Ca...ummm. I was calibrating some stuff. You know, some of the equiptment needed calibrating and uh... I was doing that." _Damn! I almost told him I was on Catherine's table half naked!_

"Wow. Must be such a tedious job and couldn't get away from it."

"Oh, I wouldn't call it tedious." Thoughts of earlier events with Catherine cross my mind. Her moaning, her being almost naked, her ragged breathing, the smell of her skin, the look in her eyes. "In fact I love doing it." _Over and over and over again._

"Calibrating? You serious? Geez, Sara, the things that turn you on!"

A playful smile crosses my face."Oh, you'll never know, Greggo."

* * *

We reach the locker room and no sign of Catherine. I opened my locker and took out my keys. The bench in front of me looks inviting so I might just as well lay on it. _Ahhh... that's better._

Greg passes by and sees me lying on my back. He shakes his head, "if you don't have your back checked you're going to regret it in the long run, Sara."

I smile at him, "I will." He looks at me disbelievingly. "Honest, Greg. I'll have it checked out. And it's not that bad. I think I was in one position for awhile." Which is partly the truth. With Catherine working on you, you don't want to move at all! You want to savor every touch, every breath she lays on you! _And the things she can do...Damn!_

He shrugs his shoulder. "Okay, I hate seeing you in pain so turn over. My Papa Olaf taught me a thing or two about massaging years back. Come on, on your belly, Sara Sidle."

I sigh out loud. "Oookay. If you insist." Then I turned on my stomach.

"I promise you'll feel better." He rubs his hands together then started massaging my lower back slowly. "Right here?"

"Ooooh, yeah. Right...there... That... feels...sooooo...goooood."

"You know, Sara. You were moaning those exact words a couple of hours ago in my office. And I didn't even have to touch your back."

I look up to see Catherine leaning on her locker with the most mischevious grin on her face.

And Greg.

Poor Greg. I've never seen him gone so pale in seconds.

* * *

**_Reviews would be nice..._**

**_i know it's short but i'm rushing to finish my term paper..._**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

**PS: I own nothing of the characters nor CBS. **

* * *

We've been officially together now for two months, still unofficial at work. We haven't told anyone but everyone knows- it's just we haven't made an 'official' announcement. Anyway as Catherine puts it, 'it's none of their freakin' damn business'. And I agree with her. 

It's either I end up at her place or she's at my apartment after shift. At times we tear each other's clothes off once we close the door and make passionate love. At times we just cuddle infront of the TV. And at times we just sit and talk. I would be lying if I said we stopped arguing with each other now that we're together. We still do. Sometimes it can become more intense, more heated. Whether it be at her place or mine, in the car or at work.

But I'm never the one to complain.

Because I'm with Catherine.

* * *

Catherine slams the locker shut and walks up to me. "I hate it when you do that, Sara Sidle." 

I don't back down but face her head on. "Hey, you're not the only one in the case, Catherine." I see Greg quietly gather his bag and slowly tiptoe out of the locker room.

Her hands are on her hips, icy blue eyes never leaving mine. "Did I say that? It suppose to be teamwork. Not a fly by solo, Sara. Who are you trying to impress?" We just got in from a murder case and I knew that she already had Hodges work on the samples she brought in. But I forced him to look at my evidence first. I know I can get impatient at times, and this was one of those times.

"I'm not trying to impress anyone. I thought the fingerprint from the broken glass might tell us something." My voice is raised a tad higher. But I'm trying to stress a point.

"Really?" It was said sarcastically as she takes a step forward. "More important than figuring whose DNA was on the possible weapon? A crowbar with blood that was found three feet away from the victim. When I tell Hodges to get on it, that means it's priority." Her voice matched mine. And from the corner of my eye I saw a whistling Nick walk in casually carrying a big box, he looked at us and the whisltling died down, he then backed out slowly, quietly closing the door behind him. Everyone knows Catherine is not a person to be messed with. When she's in this mood, you'd better back off.

But that is still something I have to work on. But still...

I can feel my pulse rise in anger. And then I question: Who does she think she is? Why does she always have to get her way? We're both CSI's here. Why does her stuff get to be done first?

So here I am with a stand off with the beautiful Catherine. The same woman whom I made love to before we came on shift. The same woman who purrs my name before and after her orgasm. The same woman I love to stare at when she's asleep.

But we're at work and now we're professionals agruing whose right.

I of course think I'm right. So we stand there, staring and breathing down at each other's neck.

Seconds tick by and then I watch her eyes shift and focus on my lips, then she unconsciously bites her lower lip. Her right eyebrow slightly rises. Now I know exactly what's running on her mind when she does that.

Damn, I get so turned on that I'm a goner! I find myself pushing her against the locker and kissing her furiously. She grabs my shirt and pulls me till our bodies touch. I lean into her wanting to feel more. Our hands with a life of it's own find it's way underneath our top clothing. My leg comes in between her thighs and I feel her moan as she pushes herself forward. She's most beautiful when she becomes vulnerable. She gives in to my touch, my kiss, my caress. And I become her slave when I hear her moan, whisper my name, feel her breath quicken.

"Shower room." I say in between breaths. She doesn't say anything. The only sound I hear is her heavy breathing as we take big strides to the shower room.

This is one of the reasons why I don't complain when we argue. There is always a positive outcome.

* * *

I'm still tucking in my shirt when she reaches her cell phone. She casually wipes the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand. 

"Hodges, it's Catherine. Have you tested the crowbar I brought in? No? What the hell? I said awhile ago to 'get on it'. Do you have selective hearing or something? Hodges, you're stuttering. Breathe, man. Sara? She told you what?" Catherine looks at me and smiles sweetly. I can picture Hodges sweating bullets now. She stands up and goes to the mirror, combing her hair with her fingers. She turns around and winks at me. Then she continues her torture with Hodges. "Hodges, who are you more afraid of? Yes, that's what I thought. Okay, you're not going to do it again. Okay. Stop stuttering. I said stop...stuttering. There. Since you started with Sara's go ahead and finish it. Then do the crowbar. Next time when I give you something to do, I expect you to do it. Got it? Good. I'm hanging up so stop apologizing and stuttering."

Ahhh. The woman has her ways. And I love her for that.

She walks to me as she closes her cell. She reaches up and kisses me lightly on the lips. "You got away this time, Sidle." She pulls me closer and nibbles on my ear. "We'll continue this discussion later." I of course am speechless of the sensation she's now creating.

* * *

I need to see Grissom in his office to get his signature to close a case. Hopefully I can do this in less than a minute. I really don't feel like having a conversation with him. Ever since we broke up he's spending more time in his office. Surrounded by his jars of imported insects, butterflies, a fetus among other weird looking stuffs. I guess he finds peace and comfort there. 

Weird.

"Hey, Griss. You busy?" I pop my head in as I open his door. Files are stacking up on his table but somehow he finds time to make a minature replica of his office.

He looks up with tweezers in hand. "Sara, come in." Seems like he's putting in the finishing touches of one of the minature book cases.

"Um, I need you to look over this file so we can close the case." I place the file in front of his seat.

"Okay." He walks over to his table and picks up the file. "The Zimmerman case. I'm glad his son is behind bars." He looks up at me and I nod in agreement. He then scribbles his name on a couple of papers and hands me the file.

I guess we're still at the point where everything is uncomfortable between us. I can live with that.

I mutter a 'thanks' and head for the door.

"Sara."

Crap. I was so close to getting out! I turn around with my hand still on the door handle. Maybe he'll get the message. But then he's Grissom, void of any external emotion. "Yeah?"

"Sara, I..." He takes a deep breath. "Can we talk?"

"Umm, sure, I guess." I walk back hugging the file close to my chest.

"I... Sara, I..." He walks behind his desk and sits, rubs his temple with his index finger. I'm predicting he's going to have a migraine pretty soon.

"Gris, we can do this later..."

"No, no. I need to...I need to understand."

"I'm inlove with Catherine."

"I know. I see it. I just want to know...need to know..." He turns away and looks at the various minature replicas of crime scenes that were incased in glass.

I took a deep breath and answered quietly. "I thought I loved you but I guess it was springing from admiration. You were my mentor and I looked up to you. I guess I mistook that for love."

His eyes were filled with saddness as he finally looks up to me. "I should've listened to the signs."

"Signs?"

"Even when we were together, you never looked at me the way you looked at Catherine." He half smiles at me. "When she's in the conversation you suddenly become interested. You become conscious of yourself when she walks in the room."

"I don't... I never noticed..."

He interrupts me, "but I have noticed, Sara. I did. But deep down inside of me I didn't want to think of it. When Catherine offered her place two months ago, part of me said 'don't'. And the other part of me said, 'we'll see what happens'. And so here we are now."

"Gil..."

"I thought it was my mistake but I guess eventually you two will finds your way to each other. It would be my mistake to keep holding on to you. I see the way she looks at you. I dismissed it as peer jealousy. But come to think of it, it is. She was jealous of me being with you." He gets up and stands infront of me. "Promise me something, Sara."

"Sure."

"Take care of Catherine, okay? It's good to see her happy again. It's good to see both of you happy."

I don't know what came into me but I reached out and gave him a hug. "I promise. And thank you, Gil."

I walked out of his office with a spring on my steps.

* * *

I walk in Catherine's office. 

"Where the hell have you been?" Catherine doesn't look up from her computer. "I've been waiting for you for fifteen freaking minutes in the breakroom for our so called coffee break. I got tired of waiting and was about to get up and turn the place over to look for you when Greg walks in. He askes me what's wrong and so I gave him hell instead." _Damn, I love this woman!_

I take a seat infront of her and watch her go on and on about me missing our coffee break and how she scared an innocent Greg who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. She is so cute when she's upset!

I can't help but continue to fall in love with this woman. Call me silly, but I love listening to the sound of her voice. It doesn't matter if she's complaining, or angry and irritated, demanding, arguing, sweet talking, whispering, or moaning my name while we're making love...I just love any kind of sound that comes from her.

"Helloooo...hello. Earth to Sara." She knocks on the table bringing me back to my senses. "Did you hear a word that I said? Are you even listening to me? I guess not judging by that silly grin that's plastered on your face. Do you have selective hearing or something? Am I boring you? Do you think..."

I smile at her. "I love you, Catherine."

She looks at me, right eyebrow arched up. "Stop changing the topic, Sidle. You're not getting away with that one."

"But I really do love you, baby," I said protesting.

"And I love you too, Sara, but still you're not going to get away with that. So what else can you come up with?" She leans back on her chair and folds her arms across her chest.

_God, I adore this woman! She is utterly and totally adorable!_

Catherine looks at me waiting for me to say something. "So?" I know she won't let go till she gets a satisfied answer.

"Ummm..."

"Where not here to chant, Sara."

I take a deep breath. "I finally talked to Grissom. Actually he talked to me."

"And?"

I knew she'd want more than that! "Told him I'm in love with you."

"And?" _She wants more explanation?_

"I told him I'm inlove with you." I said again.

"I heard that part, Sara. I'm not deaf, you know." She leans forward and asks again, "and?"

I open my mouth but nothing came out. _What else did Grissom and I talk about?_ And here sits Catherine waiting for more. I open my mouth again and blurted out, "he told me to take care of you and he's happy to see you happy."

She gets up from her seat with a satisfied smile and pats me on the head as she walks out the door. "See? Was that so hard, Sara dearest?"

And I just sat there with my mouth open.

* * *

It's after shift and I'm sitting on the passenger's side of Catherine's car. She starts the engine and looks at me with a smug smile. 

I cross my arms across my chest and continue to look ahead. " I still love you to pieces, Catherine Willows, but sometimes you have a mean streak."

She touches my arm trying to soothe me, "awww, my baby is upset. I'll make it up to you, honey." She glances my way with a huge smile.

* * *

The garage door opens and she slowly parks her car inside. We come in the house and I feel something's off. I look around and it's seems that it's quiet. Too quiet for a Saturday morning. 

I call out to Catherine who headed upstairs to her bedroom. "Honey, wheres' Lindsey? She said she'll be up early so we can work on her project. And I don't see your mom either." I'm trying to be as calm as possible.

She calls out from upstairs. "What did you say, honey?"

No sense making her panic. "Ummm... Lemme check if Lindsey's in her room asleep." My heart is starting to race. I'm trying not to think of the worst case scenario here. But I find myself practically running upstairs.

I knock on her door."Linds?" No answer. I turn the knob and open her door. The bed has not been slept in. Now I feel my pulse rising! _Where the hell is Lindsey? Did she not sleep here last night? _

Oh, lord...I feel like I'm going to faint.

* * *

"Sara, honey? Everything okay?" She sees me coming in her room slowly. I don't think I can look at her. How can I tell her that Lindsey didn't even sleep here? She takes me by the hand and leads me to the side of the bed to sit down. 

"Cath... Linds..." I start.

"Shhhh..." She silences me with her finger to my lips. "Lindsey is with my sister."

I sit straight up. "What? Why didn't you tell me..." Again she puts her finger to my lips.

"Remember when I told you I'll make it up to you in the car?" She picks up the remote for the stereo and soft music starts to fill the air.

I know my mouth is still hanging open trying to figure what's going on.

"Well," she begins. "You know that I love you very much and..."

I interrupt her. "Catherine, what's going on?"

She looks at me, "shut up, Sara. Can't you see I'm trying to say something here? Everytime I'm trying to say something you interrupt. Why can't you just wait till I..."

I held my hand up. "Okay, okay. I'm shutting up. I'm shutting up, Catherine."

"There you go again, Sara. I haven't even finished my sentence and you start interrupting me. Like last night when I was asking you about the blouse I was..."

I took her hand. "Catherine. I'm shutting up. See?" I zipped my mouth up with my finger and threw away the imaginary key.

She smiles contentedly. "Good. Now, as I was saying, you know that I'm in love with you, right?" I nod my head in agreement. "Good. And I know that you love and adore me to pieces that you still cannot get enough of me, right?" I grin and again nod in agreement. And she continues, "well, I think it's useless for you to continue to pay monthly rental on your apartment when you're mostly here. So..." I can feel my heart beat slowly rising. "So," she says again, "I want, that is if you want to, and Lindsey agrees with this, too, that if..."

"Lindsey agrees? Really, really?" I blurted out happily.

She stands up and puts her hands on her waist, "I swear, Sara Sidle, the next time you interrupt me..."

"Sorry, I had a spare key." I again zipped my mouth and threw away the now imaginary spare key.

"Better." She again sits besides me and takes my hand in hers. "As I was saying before you interrupted me numerous, numerous times and I predict you will interrupt me numerous times as time goes by. And I know that we've been only going out for two months and maybe you might think it's too soon, but I'll understand..."

I opened my mouth to say something but she was quicker. "Shut up, Sara. Obviously you have too many spare keys in you pocket."

So I clamped my mouth and smiled. And I'm getting excited by the second.

"Now as I was saying..." She pauses and takes a deep breath. "I want you to move in with me, with us. With me and Lindsey. And you know she totally adores you. And obviously, I cannot function without you. I really hate it when we're apart. We've lost precious time all these months and I don't want to loose another day without you by my side." She lifts my hand and places it close to her heart. "So what do you say, Sara? If you think it's too soon, I'll under..."

"Years."

"What?"

"The first time we met, remember?" She nodded her head. "I knew who you were because I read everyone's file on the airplane on my way to Vegas. Plus your picture was on the file. But I still had to ask you if you knew where I could find Catherine Willows and you gave me a smart answer. Remember that?"

"Ahhh. I remember. I was an ass. Sorry about that." She grins at me guiltily.

"And a very sexy ass you have. Anyway, I wanted to put a voice to that beautiful face in the picture. And I knew I was smitten the first time I saw you. You were irrisistable! But I dismissed it as just a physical attraction, even though I felt it was more than that. I also wanted to know you more but somehow we never got along. You made it..." I could see her right eyebrow arch up a bit. "Let me rephrase that, we both made it hard on eachother. I tried, Catherine, but failed constantly. Grissom was the first one to accept me so I guess the need to be wanted and accepted led me to him. But..." I cupped her face in my hands. "But as it was pointed out to me, I never could look at him the way I've always looked at you. I love you, Catherine. I loved you for so long. And yes. I don't want to waste anymore time being away from you. If you didn't asked me I would've asked you to move in with me, you know. And I wouldn't take 'no' for an answer." I shruggerd my shoulders, "and that would mean Lindsey would have to sleep on the sofa till I got a bigger place."

Catherine smiles mischeviously, "you could've said 'yes', you know."

"I know. But I also know you'll never be satisfied with a simple 'yes'."

She stands up, "wait here." She walks to the closet.

"What?" I was about to get up.

"Wait there!" She commanded.

So I sat back on the bed again. "Whatever you say." _What is she up to?_

She comes back with a thin box that was like around nearing four feet long. _What does she got in there? A shot gun? _

"I owe you this." She says with a grin as she opens the top of the box. _A sword perhaps?_

All I could think of is that we're going to end our lives like Romeo and Juliet, sealing our love to the end. But I would gladly give my life for and to her. And if ending mine would seal our destiny, so be it. I am ready!

She pulls out a metallic blue pole and glances at me and sees the confusion on my face. But she didn't say anything and continues to set it up, humming in between.

Then she adjusts and pulls a thinner pole from the bottom of the metal making it longer and longer, tightening the sides till it stretched up to the ceiling. When she was done she faces me with the most playful smile.

Then I understood.

It was a pole.

"I ordered this and it came last week. But I had to wait." She still sees the confusion written all over my face. "A pole for a poll, remember? The guys we're betting if you'd stay longer. And I'm glad that you're now staying forever." She picks up the remote and changes the music. Chris Isaak's sexy voice singing'Wicked Games' fill the air.

"Happy two month anniverasry, love." She slowly unbottons her top blouse as she sexily sways to the music.

And I sat back grinning, excited like a little girl watching a long awaited favorite fantasy come to life.

I'm so in love with this sexy goddess in front of me...

Damn, I love my life!

* * *

**_Thanks for reading. Hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Reviews would be great._**

**_angelle_**


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